“Two Mommies” and Drag Queen Episodes: How Sesame Street and PBS Have Gone Off the Rails
Sesame Street introduced its first recurring gay couple, Frank and Dave, two fathers raising their daughter Mia, in a 2021 “Family Day” episode celebrating diversity. The show had previously featured LGBTQ+ themes and guest appearances. Photo courtesy of Sesame Street, “Family Day | Full Street Story,” screen grab.
There was a time when PBS and Sesame Street were widely regarded as among the most wholesome, educational programming available for children. Over the years, however, many conservative parents argue that PBS has shifted sharply to the political left, prompting growing calls from parents and lawmakers to defund the network. Their concern is that taxpayer dollars are increasingly being used to promote progressive political and social agendas that conflict with their values.
Sesame Street was originally designed with a “color-blind” philosophy in mind. Early Muppets were intentionally created as red, green, blue, and yellow monsters so that children would not associate them with specific racial or ethnic groups. That approach changed quickly, first with the introduction of explicitly Black Muppets and later Asian and Latino characters. Critics argue that this move departed from the show’s original intent by emphasizing racial identity rather than shared humanity. Over time, the program also introduced gay and transgender themes and characters.
According to critics, the show increasingly promotes identity politics over individual merit, elevates diversity and inclusion as primary values, and advances liberal social views on sexuality, gender, and race. The programming encourages children to “speak up” and challenge traditional norms, which conservatives say directly conflicts with their beliefs.
Conservative values typically emphasize traditional family structures, biological distinctions between the sexes, parental authority, a color-blind and merit-based worldview, religious freedom, and respect for America’s founding principles. In contrast, Sesame Street has publicly celebrated Pride Month and “LGBTQIA+ people,” including transgender identities. Since 2017, episodes have featured same-sex parent households, including families with “two mommies” or “two daddies.” In 2021, Episode 5132 introduced Dave and Frank, a married gay couple raising their daughter, Mia.
That same year, Sesame Workshop launched the “ABC’s of Racial Literacy” initiative, introducing Black Muppets Wesley and Elijah Walker to teach children about “racial justice” and “systemic inequality.” Sesame Workshop defines racial literacy as developing the skills to talk about race and racism, counter or cope with racism, and understand the role racism plays in society. Critics argue that this framework presupposes that disparities between racial groups are primarily the result of injustice, leaving no room for alternative explanations or debate—particularly troubling when the target audience is preschool-aged children with no broader context.
Opponents say this lack of balance turns education into indoctrination. They point to past episodes as examples, including Episode 3140 from 1993, which portrayed “institutional racism” through a racist phone call received by a character after she was seen playing with a Black friend. While such incidents may occur, critics argue that portraying them as common reinforces a distorted view of society and uses rare exceptions to justify broad ideological instruction.
In 2021, Sesame Street also introduced Ji-Young, its first Asian American Muppet, as part of a “racial justice initiative” aimed at combating anti-Asian hate. Critics contend that the premise exaggerates the prevalence of anti-Asian animosity, noting that Asians are often targeted for crime due to perceived vulnerability rather than racial hatred.
PBS children’s programming beyond Sesame Street has followed similar patterns. Arthur featured a gay wedding in a 2019 episode. Work It Out Wombats! introduced a lesbian couple raising a child in 2023. The Clifford the Big Red Dog reboot included LGBTQ characters, Odd Squad aired a same-sex wedding, and Postcards from Buster showed children with lesbian mothers as early as 2005. PBS digital content has also included segments such as a drag queen reading children’s books.
PBS news and documentary programming has addressed transgender issues in a similarly one-sided manner, according to critics. The 2015 FRONTLINE documentary Growing Up Trans followed young children receiving puberty blockers and hormones, portraying medical transition for minors in a positive light. Opponents argue the documentary lacked balance, as it did not feature medical professionals or psychologists who question or oppose these treatments.
Abortion coverage on PBS has also drawn criticism. Multiple FRONTLINE documentaries and PBS NewsHour segments present abortion primarily as a healthcare right, often criticizing restrictions and featuring advocacy organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Conservatives argue that this framing assumes agreement on a deeply contested moral issue.
Critics further note that PBS rarely, if ever, promotes traditional two-parent biological families, religious faith, Judeo-Christian values, patriotism, traditional gender roles, or marriage between a man and a woman.
For many conservatives, the central issue is whether taxpayer-funded programming should advance controversial moral and social positions that conflict with the beliefs of a large portion of the public. Their concerns include the normalization of same-sex relationships, teaching children about transgender identities without parental consent, promoting contested views on racism, abandoning the original color-blind mission of Sesame Street, and using public funds to celebrate Pride messaging that conflicts with traditional and religious values.
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