The popular British children’s show “Peppa Pig” has introduced its first same-sex couple — two lesbian polar bears — following years of calls for more LGBTQ characters on the show.
In an episode that aired Tuesday on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, Penny the Polar Bear tells main character Peppa Pig that she has “two mummies” and draws a picture of herself holding hands with them.
The cartoon show, which centers around a 4-year-old piglet and her family, has been translated into 40 languages and broadcast in over 180 countries and territories, including the U.S., according to its production company, Entertainment One. It’s been called a “global phenomenon,” though it has also faced some criticism for reinforcing gender stereotypes by showcasing a nuclear family structure with a dad who works and a stay-at-home mom.
A petition was first circulated in 2019 calling on the show, which has aired for nearly two decades and won three BAFTA awards, to feature same-sex parents. The request garnered nearly 25,000 signatures over the last few years.
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