On Monday afternoon, Cartoon Network released a comic strip that teaches children how to use gender pronouns in accordance with their chosen identity.
“Here’s to not only normalizing gender pronouns, but respecting them, too. Whether you use he/she/them or something else, we acknowledge and LOVE you!” the television network wrote on its official Twitter account.
Included in the caption were several cartoon images of children discussing what it means to use different gender pronouns.
In one image, the text reads, “Gender pronouns describe a person’s gender identity. Examples of pronouns are she/her, they/them, and ze/zir. A lot of people are learning about gender identity. If you’re comfortable, you can share your own pronouns.”
In another frame, one cartoon is taught how to use “pronouns” by two other characters.
“Hi! My name is Kam. My pronouns are they/them,” one character says. “I’m Alex! Mine are they/them, too! I feel seen,” the other responds.
“Thanks, y’all! When people use my pronouns, I feel respected, safe, and included,” Kam adds.
“Yes!” the previously uninformed character responds. “Your pronouns reflect … you! I’ve learned something new today!”
Here's to not only normalizing gender pronouns, but respecting them, too 💖 Whether you use he/she/them or something else, we acknowledge and LOVE you! Toolkit 👉 https://t.co/ZbhthybrdC
— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) December 14, 2020
🎨: Steeeeevn/Instagram#Pronouns #YYAAC #NBJCOnTheMove #LetsGetFree #CartoonNetwork pic.twitter.com/koceQue1aF
The new comic strip was created by Cartoon Network in collaboration with the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a pro-LGBT organization. The effort was made as a part of NBJC’s “Words Matter: Gender Justice Toolkit” in facilitating “uncomfortable and, at times, difficult conversations that can save lives.”
According to the NBJC, “This specific toolkit has been designed with the goal of ensuring gender justice in mind, which means ending the violence that black women and girls — both cisgender and transgender, as well as gender non-conforming people — experience simply as a result of who they are and how they exist in the world,” Faithwirereports.
Earlier this month, Cartoon Network released a short cartoon on systemic racism within the educational system.
In the video, Pearl, a character from the show Steven Universe, explains to a classroom full of children that “black heroes” were written out of history due to their skin color. Pearl highlights Lewis Latimer, a black man, saying that he was actually the creator of the lightbulb instead of Thomas Edison.
“The lightbulb could more rightfully be attributed to Lewis Latimer, the black inventor behind the filament inside the bulb,” Pearl explained.
She argued that “thanks to systemic racism,” Latimer’s story, amongst other black people, would not be featured in the history books.
“Most of your storytellers prioritize white accomplishments, which leaves you with an incomplete picture,” Pearl continued. “Ask yourselves as you’re learning history, ‘Who is telling the story? Was this modified to make white readers comfortable? Are major details being left out that would credit people of color and center their point of view?’’”
Photo courtesy: Pixabay
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
