Merseyside-based LGBTQ+ parents have said the introduction of a same-sex couple on Peppa Pig is “wonderful”.
Earlier this month, the popular children’s cartoon aired an episode which included its first same-sex couple. The scenes saw the character Penny Polar Bear drawing two female polar bears in dresses alongside her friends. Explaining her sketch to pals including Suzi Sheep and Danny Dog, Penny said: "I’m Penny Polar Bear. I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor and one mummy cooks spaghetti. I love spaghetti."
Following the airing of the episode on Channel 5, many took to social media to welcome the LGBTQ+ characters, however, not everybody was as keen as some argued sexuality should be left out of children's programmes.
READ MORE: Liverpool’s RuPaul’s Drag Race stars lead tributes to Cherry Valentine
With this in mind, we spoke with LGBTQ+ parents from Merseyside to get their thoughts and opinions on the latest Peppa Pig characters.
Amongst those praising the move was Phil Ashton, who is a dad to three boys with his partner Chris Smith. Phil, who is originally from Wallasey, told the ECHO : “None of my children blinked an eye at it nor mentioned it in any significant detail, I think they just accepted it as what it was. We thought it was subtle and in keeping with the show. There are plenty of shows who show a variety of family groups including single parents so it was great to see a representation of this in a mainstream show.
Phil’s children are big fans of the show with his middle child “adoring” it and his eldest having visited Peppa Pig World and because of this, Phil believes the introduction of “different families” to the cartoon series should have been done sooner and other cartoons should follow suit.
He added: “There are many different families and this is just showing in a very subtle way that they do exist. With how Peppa Pig did it they didn’t focus too much on that this was a same-sex family as it was within showing all different families and it was quickly seen as a family that existed. I would say it has to fit in with the storyline and age but saying ‘this is Mr X and Mr X and their family’ is not a bad thing nor should it be a token element thrown in. It needs to be a slow introduction to sexuality and same-sex families to build upon what was started. In our case, my children accept all different families and understand fully them from a very early age.”
Peppa Pig has been running since May 2004 and is one of the most popular TV shows for children of pre-school age. It shows Peppa and her little brother George enjoying everyday adventures with Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. The show’s landmark moment is one that many families up and down the country can relate to as a recent Independent Family Review by England's Children's Commissioner found that nearly half of UK children now grow up outside the stereotypical family set-up. Charlotte Mills’ three children are part of this group as, like Penny the Polar Bear, they have two mums.
The special needs teacher, who raises her children with her partner Samantha in Woodchurch, said: “It’s a good thing that it is being introduced into cartoons as it’s a reflection on reality in the 21st century that families come in all shapes and sizes. I feel having subtle introductions makes it less of a taboo subject and no one will bat an eyelid in years to come. Children like things simple and I believe we should tell the truth to children. So, therefore introducing same-sex couples in TV programmes is a good thing as it is reality.”
Another household who are “big fans” of Peppa Pigs is Erika Tranfield's in Heswall, Wirral. The microbiology scientist has helped create more than 1,000 families through her online worldwide donor connection website and thinks families will benefit from the introduction of the characters.
She said: “The move the producers have taken to introduce a same-sex family is wonderful. It is a representation of society and by having such characters in children's programs it will help ‘normalise’ the fact that we have different families. The world no longer consists of the typical ‘2.4-child family with a mum and dad’.”
Receive our weekly LGBTQIA+ newsletter by signing up here .
READ NEXT
-
Suicide survivor documenting learning how to walk again after losing both his legs
-
Toxteth DJ entertained hundreds of students regardless of what night of the week it was
-
Parent spent most of life 'feeling out of place' before discovery
-
Liverpool's drag fans being given chance to 'launch' their own careers
-
Liverpool drag queen's hosting event that's 'absolutely not for the easily offended'
