by Ruth Moss
A conversation that was started when Arwyn wrote about sexism in children’s literature, and continued here and here (and also on twitter and by email – if you’re not twittering – why not?) has had me thinking for weeks now.
No matter what we say to our pre-schoolers, they’re going to encounter the mainstream at some point, whether that’s through television, friends, school, nursery…
The most privileged members of society are also usually the most mainstream.
How do we counter that?
And what if their home environment matches up with what they see on television, in magazines, in books? My son will grow up child to a white, heterosexual, cisgendered, married, able-bodied couple. Will he ever even think to question his priviledge? Will my voice disappear in the baying of the other voices telling him exactly what is “normal” and what is “other”?
Looking at the darling of UK pre-school children’s programming, CBeebies, the majority of the presenters are overwhelmingly white (there was a very brief couple of days where Sid and Skye were the main presenters but this ended far too quickly). And in the programmes themselves, the vast majority are headed up by men. A quick tally count (off the top of my head – but I am a bit of an expert!) reels off 18 male-fronted shows, and three female-fronted ones.
Of course there are some shows, such as Charlie and Lola, where arguably the character that is given the most air time is the female one, or Balamory and Me Too, where the starting character is a woman (interestingly enough, in both cases, a Nursery Teacher), but then we’d have to start counting programmes like In the Night Garden, where Iggle Piggle is the starting and ending character, as male dominated.
I can’t think of a single programme on CBeebies where the central character is not able-bodied. And as for GLBT characters? Whilst I do appreciate that programming for pre-schoolers tends not to explore issues around relationships, would it really be that much of a leap of imagination for, say, one of the children in Charlie and Lola, for example, to have two Dads, just as an “aside”? I’m not entirely sure how one would “depict” a trans person as opposed to a cis-gendered person, in cartoon or puppet format, but at least as a tiny starter would it really be too difficult to have a young boy that wears dresses, as in this book? (I appreciate that in itself comes with some very negative connotations, so any suggestions welcome.)
I know there was a big hoo ha (or should that be ha-hoo?) over ten years ago now with the arrival of the Teletubbies and Tinky Winky, the big purple one with the handbag and occasionally tutu, and the “ZOMG our kids will be turned gay!!!” reaction that ensued, especially in the more right winged parts of the US. But as I say, that was over ten years ago now. Surely we’ve moved on by now. If we can have an openly bisexual character in older children’s TV programming in the form of Captain Jack Harkness, surely we can tweak a few things in CBeebies?
Otherwise I might even have to start turning off the television.
There was a segment in Australian children’s show Play School a few years back that featured a girl talking about her two mums and them all holding hands and that. People *freaked* out, all the usual ZOMGturningourkidsgay things were said. Eedjits.
There was a doco on BBC America I saw called “My Mums Used To Be Men” about a girl whose parents were both trans women. Despite the horrific title it’s pretty good and surprisingly sweet. That kind of thing I think would be good to see more of and would be child-friendly.
http://www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/my_mums_used_to_be_men/cast.jhtml?personalityId=8897
Boys in dresses I think could work (Ma Vie En Rose did it well), though I’d probably prefer more of a mistaken identity thing from the perspective of a trans girl–”everyone thinks I’m a boy.. but I’m not!”
Ironically enough, I’ve been thinking about this very subject quite a lot recently. Even those shows which are ‘led’ by women have those women conforming to very strict gender stereotypes. Nina from Nina and the Neurons, for example, is supposed to be a scientist. She does a lot of experiments. She also has perfectly-manicured, bright red nails, and a full face of immaculately-applied make up. How many woman scientists are going to work every day with long talons and their face on? Aren’t those nails a bit impractical, given her line of work?
I could rant at length about this. Actually I think I might. I have another post in the works which crosses my mental health/feminist/parenting issues together as well, so I shall add a piece about children’s programming to the list of things to write.
As always Ruth you are eloquent and articulate. Thanks for holding us up so well!
QueenEmily, love the Australian Play School story. Sounds ideal. Usual nay-saying bullshit of course.
I adore Ma Vie en Rose. But I’m thinking more of pre-schoolers (can’t speak French, apart from super-clever bilingual kids or those in French-speaking countries of course, can’t read subtitles in English, can’t concentrate for more than 1/2 hour at a time!) here. I think for slightly older kids it would be just perfect. The documentary looks wonderful – again for just slightly older children. What a dreadful title though!
I absolutely love the idea of the “mistaken identity” trans girl. She would be a fab recurring character in a pre-school show. Or even have her own show. Why not?
Anji you know, I hadn’t even noticed Nina’s nails! Suppose I was just too overjoyed at a woman! And a Scientist! being on pre-school telly! But now you mention it… I suppose the full makeup thing if you want to be kind you can see – most presenters wear some kind of screen makeup. But the nails (and the perfect hair, actually) – wouldn’t they hinder any experiments?
(And, why, thank you – *blushes*!)
Yeah, those were the youngest child-friendly things I could think of, like I said to Helen there’s really not much stuff about or for trans children.
Oh, one slightly tangential one. When I came out I explained it to my baby brother, who was 11 or 12 at the time, by mentioning the anime Ranma 1/2 (which he had been watching). The lead character Ranma has a “curse” that makes him change gender every time he gets splashed with water (I use the male pronouns cos the character identifies as male, except for in one episode). Anyway, I explained to my brother that I was a bit like Ranma, except that I’d only be changing the once, and that I’d be using pills instead of water. And he nodded and got it, because people changing sex seemed like something that was quite plausible to him..
Just curious which are the three shows you thought of headed by a woman? I am sure you are right but the only one I can think of of the top of my head is Nina and the Neurons, although I haven’t had my coffee yet!
Also, last week the midmorning slot got two new presenters – one of which was a woman amputee. I was pleased about that, but her partner was still a very white, middle class young man. Better than nothing though.
Nina and the Neurons, Come Outside, and although it’s a cartoon, Rinky Pinky Do.
Yes, I hadn’t realised initially she was an amputee – I guess I just saw that she was young and white and blonde.
Sorry, Pinky Dinky Doo.