The popular children's animated series Peppa Pig broke new ground last week by introducing a lesbian couple into the plot when a friend of the main character showed the audience a picture of her two moms.
Peppa Pig airs in the United Kingdom on Channel 5 and in the United States on Nick Jr. The series also has a popular YouTube channel with 28 million subscribers.
The series, which features British accents, follows the adventures of a young piglet named Peppa and her mother, father and younger brother.
In the groundbreaking episode titled Families, one of Peppa's friends, Penny Polar Bear, shows the audience a photo of her family.
"I live with my mommy and my other mommy," Penny says. "One mommy is a doctor, and one mummy cooks spaghetti. I love spaghetti."
'Peppa Pig' introduces lesbian couple on latest episode:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 7, 2022
“I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor and one mummy cooks spaghetti. I love spaghetti.” pic.twitter.com/3coxIzbvaV
The episode first aired on Channel 5.
It was broadcast two years after an online petition urged the show's creators to introduce LGBT characters.
"Peppa Pig is one of the most popular TV shows for young children and has won numerous British Academy Children's Awards," the petition said. "... However, despite there being six series and over 250 episodes produced so far, none of the families feature same-sex parents."
Peppa Pig is only the latest children's series to introduce LGBT characters.
This summer, the popular children's math show Odd Squad became the latest PBS Kids series to include a same-sex couple when the characters attended the wedding of two women. Agents Orla and Oswald even help with the wedding, tending to the women's dresses and fixing their hair. Oswald officiates.
Also, this year, a new episode on Apple TV Plus featuring the Peanuts characters included a message about LGBT families. Marcie tells Peppermint Patty, "Some kids even have two moms." The special episode was titled Snoopy Presents: To Mom (And Dad), With Love.
Related:
PBS Kids' 'Odd Squad' Features Same-Sex Wedding, with Agent Oswald Officiating
New 'Peanuts' Special Has LGBT Message: 'Some Kids Even Have 2 Moms'
Photo courtesy: ©Charles Deluvio/Unsplash
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
