The kid's TV show, Clifford the Big Red Dog—based on a series of children's books from the 1960s—has become the latest target from the right-wing Evangelical Christian and anti-LGBTQ+ hate group One Million Moms.
The group—which LGBTQ Nation described as "a group with one staffer and no members"—clutched their pearls about the educational family show for featuring a "child character named Samantha who has two mommies."
The group launched an "action alert" against PBS Kids and suggested that the representation of two moms as parents poses a major threat to family values.
The group also denounced PBS Kids for featuring LGBTQ characters in other shows, like Arthur—the long-running series about a bespectacled aardvark based on the Arthur Adventure book series, written and illustrated by Marc Brown.
On May 13, an episode titled, "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," featured a same-sex wedding between two men.
Now with Clifford spreading its message of inclusivity and love across America, the hate group's "leader," Monica Cole penned an email, warning:
"Apparently featuring a same-sex wedding between two males on the children's animated series Arthur wasn't enough for those who are pro-LGBTQ at PBS KIDS."
"That happened nine months ago. Now, the recent reboot of the PBS children's series Clifford the Big Red Dog contains a child character named Samantha who has two mommies, Dr. and Ms. Mulberry."
"The same-sex couple was first introduced in a mid-February episode titled 'The Big Red Tomato/Dogbot.' There was no disclaimer at the beginning of the episode where their relationship is explained."
The alert continued to slam PBS Kids for not being family friendly.
Cole accused the channel of using taxpayers' dollars "to indoctrinate children to the LGBTQ lifestyle."
For the record, same-sex parenting is far from damaging on a child's life. Plenty of studies have shown that in most cases, kids benefit from having gay and lesbian parents.
Abbie Goldberg—a psychologist at Clark University in Massachusetts—told Live Science that LGBTQ parents:
"tend to be more motivated, more committed than heterosexual parents on average, because they chose to be parents."
"That translates to greater commitment on average and more involvement."
The article also suggested that kids growing up with gay and lesbian parents "have the advantage of open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships, according to some research."
Studies have also shown that gay and lesbians parents are just as likely as heterosexual parents to put displaced children in homes in the foster care system.
In the same email alert, 1MM continued their anti-LGBTQ tirade by mentioning Billy Porter's appearance on Sesame Street.
"And if a same-sex wedding and a same-sex relationship in children's programming weren't enough, PBS recently announced that Sesame Street will feature a drag queen activist wearing a gender-bender tuxedo gown in one of its episodes this year."
Ooh, how fabulous!
1MM's grousing about Porter followed the concerns spewed forth by Jason Rapert, a state senator from Arkansas.
On Facebook, Rapert said Porter's upcoming appearance on the 51st season of Sesame Street was part of a "radical LGBTQ agenda" and encouraged the cancellation of public funding for the beloved show.
According to Page Six, Porter offered a simple solution from all the backlash.
"If you don't like it, don't watch it. Like, what about me singing with a penguin [on the show] has anything to do with what I'm doing in my bedroom?"
"The really interesting thing for me is that that's what it's all about when it comes to LGBTQ people — the first thing everyone wants to talk about is how we having sex. Stay out of my bedroom and you will be fine — that is none of your business."
If Clifford had any say in all of this, he would agree with Porter, one-hundred paw-cent.
@elleuk/Instagram
@elleuk/Instagram
