Once regarded as the epitome of wholesome, educational content for children, PBS and its flagship program, Sesame Street, have undergone a significant transformation that has left many conservative parents disillusioned.
The shift towards left-leaning ideologies has prompted calls from parents and lawmakers for defunding, as they oppose their tax dollars being used to support political and social causes that do not align with their values.
According to Gateway Pundit, Sesame Street's original concept was to feature monsters in various colorsred, green, blue, and yellowso that children could not relate to them based on ethnic lines. However, the introduction of Black, Asian, and Latino muppets, followed by gay and transgender characters, has deviated from the show's initial "color blind" intent.
The content now emphasizes identity politics over individual merit, prioritizing diversity and inclusion over traditional American principles, and advocating liberal social positions on sexuality, gender, and race.
This evolution stands in stark contrast to conservative values that prioritize traditional family structures, biological sex distinctions, parental rights, and a color-blind, merit-based approach. The show has embraced an activist framework that encourages children to "speak up" and challenge traditional norms, which many conservatives view as an affront to their beliefs.
Sesame Street's Pride Month messages celebrating "LGBTQIA+ people," including the "T" for transgender, and episodes featuring same-sex parent families, such as the 2021 introduction of Dave and Frank, a married gay couple raising their daughter Mia, have further fueled the controversy.
The "ABCs of Racial Literacy" initiative launched in 2021 introduced Black Muppets Wesley and Elijah Walker to teach children about "racial justice" and "systemic inequality." Critics argue that teaching young children these concepts presupposes that differences in outcomes across ethnic groups are solely the result of injustice and inequality.
Sesame Workshop defines racial literacy as "the knowledge, skills, and awareness needed to talk thoughtfully about race and racism," along with strategies to "counter or cope with racism" and an understanding of "the role racism plays in society." This definition, critics say, assumes racism's pervasive role without room for debate.
The 1993 episode 3140, which featured a racist phone call to portray "institutional racism," is cited as an example of how liberals take exceptions and turn them into rules to justify training and lessons on statistically rare occurrences. In 2021, Sesame Street introduced Ji-Young as the first Asian American Muppet, part of a "racial justice initiative" to combat anti-Asian hate, a concept later codified during the Biden administration.
Critics argue that the premise is misleading, as very few people actually harbor hatred towards Asians, though targeting someone because of their race qualifies as a hate crime under official definitions.
Other PBS children's programming has followed similar patterns. The 2019 Arthur episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone" featured a gay marriage between a teacher and his partner Patrick. Work It Out Wombats! in 2023 showcased a lesbian couple, Duffy and Leiko, raising their daughter Louisa. The Clifford the Big Red Dog reboot in 2019 included LGBTQ characters, and Odd Squad featured a same-sex wedding episode.
Postcards from Buster aired "Sugartime!" in 2005, depicting children with lesbian mothers. PBS digital content included a "Lets Learn" segment featuring drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess reading "The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish."
PBS news and documentary programming has also addressed transgender issues directly. A 2015 FRONTLINE documentary, "Growing Up Trans," explored transgender children receiving puberty blockers and hormones, featuring children as young as four to six who were transitioning. Critics argue that the reporting was not critical or balanced, as it did not interview a single doctor or psychologist who opposes affirming what they see as a delusion.
The show's description stated that it was "exploring the experiences of transgender children and their families as they navigate new medical options for gender transition at younger ages, covering the emotional struggles, choices, and the pioneering nature of these kids and parents." The portrayal was openly prosex change for young children, even referring to the adults involved as "pioneers."
PBS programming on abortion includes multiple FRONTLINE documentaries supporting abortion access, such as "The Abortion Divide," which presented abortion as a healthcare choice. PBS NewsHour coverage includes regular segments supporting abortion "rights," a framing that presupposes that women have the right to terminate pregnancies, and criticizing restrictions on abortion.
Shows such as Kentucky Tonight have featured Planned Parenthood representatives advocating for abortion as "health-saving and life-affirming."
Critics argue that little to no content explicitly promotes traditional two-parent biological families as ideal, religious faith or Judeo-Christian values, American founding principles or patriotism, traditional gender roles, or marriage between a man and a woman. Conservatives contend that taxpayer-funded programming should not promote contested moral positions that run contrary to the religious beliefs of many taxpayers.
Specific concerns include the use of public funds to normalize same-sex relationships, teaching children about transgender issues without parental consent, promoting notions of racism, violating the show's color-blind intent, and airing Pride celebrations that conflict with traditional values and religious teachings.
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