Sesame Street added two gay characters in a recent episode of the children’s entertainment program.
The episode, which aired on HBOMax Thursday, introduced viewers to Nina’s brother Dave, his husband Frank, and their daughter Mia as the characters celebrated “Family Day.”
Alan Muraoka, who co-directed the episode and also plays an eponymous store owner on the show, celebrated the addition of the gay characters on Facebook, writing that he was “honored and humbled” to have directed the “milestone” episode of the program.
“Sesame Street has always been a welcoming place of diversity and inclusion. So I’m so excited to introduce Nina’s Brother Dave, his husband Frank, and their daughter Mia to our sunny street,” Muraoka wrote. “Love is love, and we are so happy to add this special family to our Sesame family.”
Gay and lesbian advocates, including Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD, celebrated the new additions, writing that Frank and Dave “are the latest characters in an undeniable trend of inclusion across kids & family programming, one that allows millions of proud LGBTQ parents, and our children, to finally get to see families like ours reflected on TV.”
“The ‘Family Day’ episode of Sesame Street sends the simple and important message that families come in all forms and that love and acceptance are always the most important ingredients in a family.”
Television studios have bolstered their efforts to add diversity and unique backgrounds to characters in recent months. Pixar released a casting call for a child actor who “can authentically portray a 14-year-old transgender girl,” and Blue’s Clues released an episode that features a drag queen singing to children about gay, transgender, and nonbinary animals.
Sesame Street has expanded its characters to include people and Muppets of all backgrounds, including homeless characters, those struggling with food insecurity, and a puppet with an incarcerated parent. Earlier this year, the show added two black puppets who told the show’s young viewers that skin color is “important to who we are, but we should all know that it’s OK that we all look different in so many ways.”
