Originally published June 14, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
The show exposes children to they/them pronouns.
QUICK FACTS:
- The Cartoon Network show We Baby Bears will air an episode entitled “Polly’s New Crew” featuring two non-binary characters.
- The episode is about three baby bear siblings, Grizz, Panda, and Ice Bear, on a “journey to find a perfect permanent home,” according to IMDb.
- “I am the great Winnifred, she/her. Actor extraordinaire!” one of the characters declares.
- One of the baby bears then says, “Our crew also has a new addition. Meet Box! They use they/them pronouns and they make an exceptionally good quiche!”
- Polly the parrot shares that she “use[s] they/them pronouns as well!”
- The production team for the children’s show explained that a “few crew members came out with they/them pronouns, and we felt that it was important to reflect that in the show.”
- “Our show team values representation because it’s something everybody on the show deeply cares about, and that’s why we aim to cast LGBTQ talent like Alok Vaid-Menon, Harvey Guillén, and Dominique Jackson,” the crew continued.
SUPPORT AND CRITICISM FOR THE EPISODE:
- “They’re after your kids,” the conservative account Libs of TikTok shared.
- Podcast host David Vance called the upcoming episode “sheer manipulative evil.”
- Other comments on Twitter included “leave children alone,” “groomers,” “just vile,” and “pedophiles.”
- One individual supported the show’s push for pronouns, tweeting, “Pride Month rules, and so do all the awesome LGBT people on the We Baby Bears crew that make it beautiful and amazing.”
BACKGROUND:
- Cartoon Network recently celebrated “Trans Day of Visibility” by sharing a video featuring characters from the television station introducing themselves using pronouns.
- “Addressing someone using their pronouns and name shows that you RESPECT them as their authentic self!” the channel tweeted, followed by a heart emoji. “We celebrate the journey of our trans and gender-non-conforming friends on this #TransgenderDayofVisibility!”
- One character in the video said, “Thanks y’all! When people use my pronouns, I feel respected, safe and included.”
