Sesame Street has always prided itself on diversity and inclusion. Now, for the first time, the show has introduced gay dads (watch above). The director of the episode, Alan Muraoka, addressed it on Facebook:
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. Our Family Day episode drops today on HBOMax and on YouTube… I am so honored and humbled to have co-directed this important and milestone episode. Love is love, and we are so happy to add this special family to our Sesame family. Happy Pride to all!!!!
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. https://t.co/vpu64aEurS
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) June 18, 2021
There is no big explanation in the episode when the dads come on screen, it’s just treated as normal. That is something that is being applauded. LGBTQ Nation wrote, “These are the people in your neighborhood.” GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis says, “Frank and Dave, as Mia’s dads, 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. https://t.co/vpu64aEurS
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) June 18, 2021
Yahoo says that the series has mentioned same-sex families before but hasn’t introduced any as characters until now.
To say we've come a long way is understatement… I know we have a long way to go before we achieve true global equality, but this is MAJOR. WOW Thank you @sesamestreet you have no idea how much good this will do. #RepresentationMatters #EqualityforAll https://t.co/L3rEqDjpPB
— Tom D'Angora (he/him) (@TomDangora) June 18, 2021