Gay characters in children's cartoons

[kickyourass]

Personally I'm not entirely sure how much this sort of thing matters in kid's shows. Don't get me wrong I fully support the idea of positive gay role models, and if a kid's show like My Little Pony really DID have a character that was gay, I really don't think that I'd care. It's just that most of the sort of shows your talking about are watched mostly by 6-10 year olds, and for the most part kids that age don't even understand sexuality in general, so I don't really see how adding a homosexual character would add anything.

As for the question concerning Rainbow Dash specifically, I haven't seen any of the show myself (though I do plan on it) so I can't really give you an answer to that,

Spoiler: so here's a picture of some corn instead.

Enjoy.

 

[blankedboy]

Disclaimer: I am for gay rights and I think people should be able to love whoever they want.

I think you guys are over shooting this. Being straight is biologically normal. Should we not present that as a norm? Yes, homosexuality is a part of life, but we dont need to stuff it into entertainment for the hell of it. Especially a kid's show. If a kid is going to be gay, let them find that out for themselves instead of doing it because this character from this show is gay.

Edit: Plus, i dont want to have to explain ANYTHING about sex to my children. Keep it simple.

You don't need to explain anything about sex - explain about love.

Also...

Being straight is biologically normal? Um, no. Homosexuality exists all throughout nature. Homosexuality is as biologically "normal" as heterosexuality.

Please don't make such ignorant and offensive statements.

Pretty sure he is trolling.

Also pretty sure Rainbow is actually bi. Based on that quickie she gave that brown pony in ep 26.

Oh my god... I.. I think I might be a brony! NOOOOOO!!!!!!

What's wrong with that? [http://ponychan.net/]

I understand what Hippo is saying about heterosex being biologically normal. Normal as in, more than two-thirds of the population. And I think we can all agree that, anatomically speaking, males go with females and females go with males. I UNDERSTAND THAT WILD ANIMALS HAVE HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT SEXUALITY IS DEFINED BY WHO SOMEONE FEELS SEXUAL ATTRACTION TO. All I'm saying is this: Homosexuality is, and probably always will be, the minority.

It's okay Candid. We will accept you and support you no matter what shows you watch. You need to embrace who you truly are.

What does that have to do with bronydom? I think you quoted the wrong person.

 

[Senaro]

Isn't Spongebob gay?

He has reproduced by budding before. Pretty sure he's just asexual. But then...wait, he has parents. Brain...oh god...

 

[Ian Caronia]

I completely agree.

Positive role models are important for children, and there aren't enough gay ones.

It has been shown that many children are aware they are gay long before they are aware of sexuality or romantic issues - they just know. Having a character who they can relate to as part of the television they watch is essential for developing self-esteem and confidence.

There is no reason to bring 'sex' into it either - if a female character can have a crush on a boy, a female character can have a crush on a girl - we already have characters having crushes in children's shows, so nothing more needs to be added other than changing who the target of the crush is.

I agree, but don't know what kind of kick ass shows you lot are watching (MLP I guess heh), but last I checked there were barely any cartoons targeted towards children that had even "crushes" available. The topic of romance is kept at a 1950's level in toons for kids, making sexual preference a huge taboo to talk about. Even the topic of a common crush is really treated like a supremely watered down "birds and bees" thing in most cases, having an entire episode devoted to it and then never really talked about again. A character falls in love, is shunned by the target of his/her affections or goes into a mini-relationship but soon breaks up, and then is told that life brings a lot of fluttering hearts and shattering hearts. End of special episode. Next week Gary the Gray Bear gets into a whacky mess and ends up in trouble! UH-OOOHH~

If there is a show that has a crush thing going on that's for children and not young adults, then I guess a gay character would be alright. But knowing cartoons for children (least in U.S.)they'd probably be ridiculously flamboyant for comical effect >_>
_However, a show that's for pre-teens DEFINITELY should have at least one respectable, normal gay character. Make their homosexuality not even a real topic until they have a crush (special episode time again) or until it naturally comes up in the story. This way young gay pre-teens would feel normal about their preferences despite what the others kids spout out at them, and straight kids would grow up seeing a natural human being (preferably a/the best friend character) who just happens to be gay. No big show about it. No ongoing subplot about it. They're just a gay individual who is no different than anyone else aside from their sexual preference. Making it natural is paramount.
_Hell, shows do that already with other characters! Why do you think the best friend character is often nerdy or black, or both? It's showing that they're people too. Those shows (often) don't have entire episodes devoted to how that character is nerdy or asocial or of a certain race either. All you need to do is add in the sexual preference and WALLA a beautifully relatable gay character.

The reason I say pre-teens and up instead of younger kids is because, well... That's when I would want my son or daughter learning more about such things. In this day and age pre-teens know almost as much about sex as adults, aside from how to do it right(which saddens me, since it really makes dealing with those hormonal changes even harder). By the time they're 12 or so they'll know at least five sex jokes, have seen at least one porn, and will fully understand what homosexuality is...
...and how to makes jokes about it. : /
_It's this age that really needs role models more than anything, since it's here where our children stop becoming children, even to themselves. Peer pressure becomes a big issue, and if it isn't gay teens being ostracized for their preferences it's religious kids being picked on because the others think they hate gay teens (for some fucking stupid reason). If done right, maybe society at large can breed a generation of people who respect both sexual preference and religion. The Catholic girlfriend of the main character who's best buddy is gay, and they're all the greatest of friends.

...But I seriously doubt such a show will ever exist, and if it does, it'll go the way of that cartoon about the wheelchair bound highschool student...and fade into obscurity. V_V

 

[Sinclair Solutions]

All there needs to be said.

How did we get away with this? "Hello, my name is Ms. Beaver." Classic.

 

[mrdude2010]

if it's a show with children in it they don't even have a sexual orientation yet. the whole discussion is pointless because you can't have a sexual orientation before you become sexually interested in one gender or the other, and any personality differences between "straight" and "gay" aren't apparent yet anyway

Then why include romance in any form in cartoons, since they don't have any sexual orientation according to you.

So, let me just post my opinion which is ON TOPIC and my opinion on this matter:
I think a gay character in teenager level material is fine, I do not how ever, think that small children as a WHOLE are ready for such a thing, I do believe parents should be responsible for replying to the child's answer on THEIR OWN TIME, it should not be FORCE FED to all children.


END OF STORY.

Are they also not ready for straight relationships at this age?

there's no such thing as "romance" when all the main characters are under 11 years old. there are some characters who are really friendly, and at that age that's all it is, just close friendships. they may develop into romance later on, but aren't really present in that time frame. cartoons tend to portray characters the same age as their target audience, and the concerns involved tend to be the same as kinds around that age. most kids aren't going to display any outwards signs of having a crush on their friend. most kids under a certain age don't even think about wanting to be with a girl, or a guy for that matter. cartoons tend to have a "love interest" or someone the main character has a "crush" on, but to call that a "relationship" of any kind is a bit of a stretch, and the object of desire is usually either captivating due to some fundamental difference between the characters (Jimmy and Cindy) or because the person is seen as an unattainable goal, and serves more as a placeholder than any real round character. i suppose doug and patty are sort of an exception, but i mean that's still a bit of a stretch. movies tend to be a different manner, since romances are usually idealized and contained strictly within the realm of grownups. i honestly don't care if cartoons or animated movies portray homosexual relationships or contain a pansexual character, but to force that sort of thing into a character who probably, realistically, wouldn't even begin to think about that at that age is silly.

 

[SD-Fiend]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

 

[Azure Knight-Zeo]

Wait, is Rainbow Dash seriously homosexual or was that just a one-off episode?

-A total Pony noob.

 

[Sandytimeman]

Pretty sure he is trolling.

Also pretty sure Rainbow is actually bi. Based on that quickie she gave that brown pony in ep 26.

Oh my god... I.. I think I might be a brony! NOOOOOO!!!!!!

Also homosexuality, is perfectly normal. I'd be happy to see that in a normal cartoon here in the US. We need to get over some of the ignorant stigma's against it and that would be the best way to go about it imo.

 

[Duskflamer]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

 

[RandV80]

I completely agree.

Positive role models are important for children, and there aren't enough gay ones.

It has been shown that many children are aware they are gay long before they are aware of sexuality or romantic issues - they just know. Having a character who they can relate to as part of the television they watch is essential for developing self-esteem and confidence.

There is no reason to bring 'sex' into it either - if a female character can have a crush on a boy, a female character can have a crush on a girl - we already have characters having crushes in children's shows, so nothing more needs to be added other than changing who the target of the crush is.

I agree, but don't know what kind of kick ass shows you lot are watching (MLP I guess heh), but last I checked there were barely any cartoons targeted towards children that had even "crushes" available. The topic of romance is kept at a 1950's level in toons for kids, making sexual preference a huge taboo to talk about. Even the topic of a common crush is really treated like a supremely watered down "birds and bees" thing in most cases, having an entire episode devoted to it and then never really talked about again. A character falls in love, is shunned by the target of his/her affections or goes into a mini-relationship but soon breaks up, and then is told that life brings a lot of fluttering hearts and shattering hearts. End of special episode. Next week Gary the Gray Bear gets into a whacky mess and ends up in trouble! UH-OOOHH~

Talking about 'crushes' for children at the 5-10 age that children's shows are directed towards made curious... a question for people who are gay, and not just speculation from the many supporters, but if this is you did you have crushes on other children of the same gender when you were in the 5-10 age range? My perception up till now is that people don't 'discover' they're gay until they've at least reached puberty, and for some people it happens pretty late (though this probably has a lot to do with pressure from society).

Speaking of gay characters from children shows though, I can't remember the name and it may have only been a Canadian show but I recall one from 10 years ago that I always thought was funny. I have some much younger cousins, who were under 5 back then and I babysat a lot. This one show which had actors dressed up in childish friendly monster-like costumes had one character who was obviously male, played the role of the bumbling klutz, but was conspicuously all purple (his favourite colour!) with some pink stripes and always wore a pink tutu.

 

[SD-Fiend]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

not that either if I worry about making something special for a good friend instead of the junk i gave everyone else that means i care more for that person since i actually think of them

 

[Duskflamer]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

not that either if I worry about making something special for a good friend instead of the junk i gave everyone else that means i care more for that person since i actually think of them

Alright then, make it clear that the fretting character has friends (who she as known for longer than the girl she's fretting over), and make it clear that she's not putting as much care into their cards as for this girl.

 

[SD-Fiend]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

not that either if I worry about making something special for a good friend instead of the junk i gave everyone else that means i care more for that person since i actually think of them

Alright then, make it clear that the fretting character has friends (who she as known for longer than the girl she's fretting over), and make it clear that she's not putting as much care into their cards as for this girl.

maybe they just click better. for me it was a kid named chazz I liked to go to his house more often since we had more in common.

 

[UnmotivatedSlacker]

Wasn't Jimmy from Ed, Edd, & Eddy implied to be homosexual? It only makes it worse that show was canned. If there is a gay character, they normally don't last long between being kicked off or just canning the show outright.

I think Jimmy was just really effeminate. And the show wasn't canned, it even got a movie to wrap things up. I think they still air some episodes now and then as well.

 

[kingcom]

Then entire X-men cartoon is about this.

 

[Duskflamer]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

not that either if I worry about making something special for a good friend instead of the junk i gave everyone else that means i care more for that person since i actually think of them

Alright then, make it clear that the fretting character has friends (who she as known for longer than the girl she's fretting over), and make it clear that she's not putting as much care into their cards as for this girl.

maybe they just click better. for me it was a kid named chazz I liked to go to his house more often since we had more in common.

*Facepalm* I'm talking about VALENTINES DAY IN A CHILDRENS CARTOON. Part of the problem here is that if I was talking about a boy fretting over a girl, you'd have no problem accepting "that guy has a crush on that girl," but because I'm talking about two people of the same sex you start making excuses about how it doesn't have to mean a crush.

 

[SD-Fiend]

I don't really think putting in a gay charachter would matter unless he/she sys out loud that he/she is gay

Ever heard of the phrase "Show don't tell"?

Have a girl fret over making the perfect valentines card for another girl as a side plot in a show, that is a clear display of homosexuality, and one that doesn't even need to end in so much as a kiss, let alone any content that isn't appropriate for kids.

no it isn't when i was younger at my elementary school we used handed valentine out to everyone in class.and I don't see how that makes her gay what if they've been friends for a long time?

Not the handing of a valentines card, the fretting over it.

not that either if I worry about making something special for a good friend instead of the junk i gave everyone else that means i care more for that person since i actually think of them

Alright then, make it clear that the fretting character has friends (who she as known for longer than the girl she's fretting over), and make it clear that she's not putting as much care into their cards as for this girl.

maybe they just click better. for me it was a kid named chazz I liked to go to his house more often since we had more in common.

*Facepalm* I'm talking about VALENTINES DAY IN A CHILDRENS CARTOON. Part of the problem here is that if I was talking about a boy fretting over a girl, you'd have no problem accepting "that guy has a crush on that girl," but because I'm talking about two people of the same sex you start making excuses about how it doesn't have to mean a crush.

well here I'm no good at arguing so let's just quit now before someone else joins in

 

[JMeganSnow]

-Does the idea of including more or any gay characters in a show targeted at younger audiences bother you? Reasons for why or why not?

Not any more than having overtly sexual characters in a show targeted at younger audiences. If they want to have crushes and infatuations and similar that is age-appropriate, sure. If they want to have adult characters (many "kids" shows contain adult characters) who are gay in the same way that adult characters in those same shows are shown to be "straight" e.g. "here is my life partner" instead of "here is my wife". They don't need to be discussing the details any more than they generally discuss the details of the adults paying their taxes or going to town council meetings.

 

[Dragongod_Zenos]

i think you guys are all just a little stupid to be arguing, or for that matter even discussing this topic. its a fucking tv show. and pretty bad on at that. the supposed sexual orientation of a cartoon is just a waste of a topic. stop watching tv shows meant for 5 year old girls looking for some hidden meaning. sure maybe there is something to it cuz we are old enough to see a correlation between the jokes in the show and past cartoons/movie/anything pop culture.

let the show die off. its a waste of time