Peppa Pig has added a lesbian couple to its cast of characters for the first time in the show’s 18 year history.
In the episode entitled Families, Penny the polar bear introduced her two mothers. While drawing a portrait of her family, Penny explained: “I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor and one mummy cooks spaghetti.”
Many viewers took to social media to praise the decision to show an LGBT+ family for the first time in the cartoon show’s history. One Twitter user wrote: “THIS is how young children should be taught about inclusion.
Peppa Pigg has previously made headlines after Boris Johnson praised it for exemplifying “the power of UK creativity”, claiming it has brought £6bn to the UK economy through its export to 118 countries, with theme parks in the UK, the US and China.
The series has previously attracted criticism for reinforcing gender stereotypes. As well as drawing disapproval for being overly focused on a highly traditional middle-class nuclear family – featuring “mummy pig” looking after the kids while “daddy pig” goes out to work – the London Fire Brigade spoke out in 2019 to criticise its usage of the word “fireman”.
Its portrayal of Penny the Polar Bear’s family appears to have been better received, however. Robbie de Santos, director of communications and external affairs at LGBT rights charity Stonewall, told the BBC that he saw the introduction of a same-sex couple as “fantastic”.
