Co-creator of children’s Christian TV show refuses to show same-sex relationships
The long-running children’s cartoon show VeggieTales (IMDB)
The co-creator of the children’s cartoon series VeggieTales has refused to depict same-sex relationships as he doesn’t believe it’s “best for kids.”
VeggieTales is an animated TV show that enlists talking cartoon vegetables to teach children about religion and Bible stories.
It was co-created 26 years ago by Phil Vischer, who told The Christian Post he will resist being “forced” to show same-sex relationships on his show.
“If I get pressure from Hollywood to show two men getting married because we’ve all decided it’s right and correct, my pushback is: ‘No, I won’t.’ Because that’s not what I believe is best for kids,” he said.
“It’s more about what we show as normal rather than explicitly showing something and saying, ‘that’s wrong.’ I’m portraying the positive rather than the negative.”
VeggieTales co-creator Phil Vischer (IMDB)
However, he conceded that he would be “forced to figure out how to explicitly address it” at some point due to the growing presence of LGBT+ storylines in children’s media.
In reference to a recent episode of the cartoon series Arthur which featured a gay rat wedding, Vischer said a “shot [was] heard through the Christian parenting world.”
The reaction to the episode was overwhelmingly positive but many viewers raised concerns at the prospect of a cartoon rat getting married to a cartoon aardvark.
Arthur’s teacher Mr Ratburn married a man in the first episode of series 22. (PBS Kids)
The episode was banned in Alabama and the anti-LGBT+ group One Million Moms launched a petition calling for the entire show to be cancelled.
“The most striking thing about that episode of Arthur wasn’t that they thought it was time to introduce kids to gay marriage; it was the reaction of all the kids on the show,” Vischer said.
“None of them asked questions about why two men were getting married. Their reaction was, ‘Oh, OK! Great!’”
“It’s such a strong message of, well kids, of course you’re fine with gay marriage, because there’s nothing to question about it,” Vischer continued.
“That’s a little more concerning.”
