Disney had an interracial LGBTQ couple on one of their shows last week. And the best part? They are not making the plot line about that fact, even though it's a first for a Disney Junior show.
Mashable reports that the show Doc McStuffins featured an interracial lesbian couple in an episode about earthquake safety. However, they kept the show to its main narrative — i.e. teaching kids how to prep for an earthquake. Even cooler, the actresses who voice the two moms are Wanda Sykes and Portia de Rossi who are actually lesbians themselves.
According to Pink News, Wanda herself also talked about how much she appreciated the fact that the narrative of the story was about family and emergency safety; not that the couple was "different."
"It's a great episode. You learn a very valuable lesson. An earthquake happens, and you see this family. They get out of the house and they separate. And then [someone] asks them: What's your emergency meeting place? It's teaching a family to have a plan, like in case of an emergency, to know where to be," she says. "The diversity of the show, and having an African American... be the star of the show, and also be a doctor, it sends a great message."
"I'm a fan of Doc McStuffins, my kids watch the show. In this episode, they see a family that looks like our family," she concludes.
Of course, it need not be said that there is still a very long way to go in terms of visibility and inclusiveness in the public sphere. But with that said, every step in the right direction is a little victory to be celebrated, and we're definitely tipping our hats to Disney today.
Network execs, take note.
Related: The Academy Is Finally Inviting More Women and People of Color — but It Took Way Too Long
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