The evolution of PBS kids’ show ‘Arthur’
A gay character’s wedding barely raised an eyebrow
“Congress’ and the Department’s purpose in funding this programming certainly was not to introduce this kind of subject matter to children, particularly through the powerful and intimate medium of television.”
I hope her fainting couch was nearby as she typed.
Spellings requested that PBS remove the U.S. Department of Education seal from the episode, warn station affiliates about the content before they aired the episode and (and!) consider refunding the education grants used to create the episode.
“Finally,” she wrote in closing, “you can be assured that in the future the Department will be more clear as to its expectations for any future programming that it funds.”
PBS didn’t send “Sugartime!” around to its affiliates.
In 2005! Calendar-wise, not so long ago. Culturally speaking, eons ago.
A mere 14 years ago, you may recall, a lot of progressives were still ducking and dodging on marriage equality and equal rights for the LGBTQ community. It wasn’t until 2010 that thenPresident Barack Obama, a longtime opponent of same-sex marriage, started to evolve on the topic. Then-President Bill Clinton was the one to sign the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act into law, allowing states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages legally established in other states. (The law was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2015.)
Television wasn’t devoid of openly gay characters or hosts in 2005 — “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was 2 years old by then and “Will and Grace” was going strong — but a gay couple on a children’s show, apparently, still seemed a bridge too far.
I’m glad we’ve crossed that bridge.
Of course children’s shows should include gay characters.
Of course weddings on children’s shows should, on occasion, be between members of the same sex.
Of course parents on children’s shows should, on occasion, be members of the same sex.
Children’s shows should look like the world children are growing up in. Kids should be able to see themselves, their families, their neighbors, their classmates and their communities in the characters and the stories they love and lean on for guidance and understanding.
Ideally, children’s shows also should look a little different from the tiny part of the world children are growing up in. So if they don’t personally know a kid in a wheelchair, maybe a show can introduce them to one. If they don’t know a lot of kids whose skin is a different color from theirs, whose faith traditions are different from theirs, whose parents are the same sex, maybe a show can introduce them to some.
Children’s shows, like children’s books, should be both mirrors and windows.
There are, no doubt, families out there who aren’t happy about Mr. Ratburn’s union. Let’s not pretend marriage equality is universally embraced.
Teachers still get fired from faith-based schools for marrying same-sex partners. At Prairie View Grade School near Elgin last year, music teacher Nathan Etter reportedly was told to “stick to the curriculum” after his husband sent him Valentine’s Day flowers at work, prompting a parent to contact the district with “serious concerns.”
Equality for LGBTQ folks hasn’t fully arrived. But it’s on the way. And it’s hitting fewer speed bumps. That’s cause for celebration. Join the Heidi Stevens Balancing Act Facebook group, where she continues the conversation around her columns and hosts occasional live chats.