The world is not the same as it was. Over the last decade, it has experienced a lot of changes in stereotypes and accepted new ideologies. One of the major changes was the inclusion of LGBT which stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. Although many countries are yet to accept this, the majority of countries has legalised same-sex marriage.
When it comes to children, these are innocent young and tender minds hence it’s very important to choose what children see on TV, movies or anything for that matter. On the contrary, it’s also important for children to be exposed to the realities of life. Recently a children’s cartoon on PBS called the Arthur aired an episode “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone” which shows the wedding of two gay characters.
Talking about this episode, Tracy Robinson-Wood, a professor of applied psychology at Northeastern University says “Mass media has always played a big role in shaping public opinion and exposing people to new ideas and perspectives. For children, that education may start with a TV show, but should continue with a conversation.”
According to Robinson-Wood, the key message is that these two people in the show found each other, they like each other and love each other, and they have someone to talk to and laugh with. Though Robinson-Wood calls the episode “visionary” she also says that mass media can serve to “reinforce dominant gender and racial stereotypes.” So it is very vital to explain the nuanced messages to the children.
She also recommends the producers to come up with shows that incorporate characters with different and backgrounds which will help overcome the stereotypes, but with tools and guidance that will help the parents with the difficult conversation with their children afterward.
Umayal