A new year‑end report from the activist group Concerned Women for America (CWA) reveals that a large portion of children’s streaming television shows contain sexualized LGBTQ+ content, even when labeled as suitable for young audiences. The findings raise questions about whether current ratings systems provide parents with accurate information about what their children are watching.
According to the report, 41 percent of programs marketed as G‑rated on Netflix include LGBTQ+ themes, including transgender content. Even in the TV‑Y category — intended for children up to age seven — 21 percent of shows reportedly contain LGBTQ+ content. The figure rises to 41 percent for the TV‑Y7 category, which targets children age seven and older. Across all three children’s rating categories (TV‑G, TV‑Y, and TV‑Y7), CWA found that roughly 33 percent of programming includes some form of LGBTQ+ content.
CWA’s analysis went beyond mere presence to examine how explicit the content was. They categorized representations as “meta,” “implied,” “queer‑coded,” and “explicit,” finding that 24 percent of TV‑Y7 programs contained explicit depictions — defined as open declarations of homosexuality, transgender identity, or sexual behavior.
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The report also notes that recent reboots of older children’s series often introduce LGBTQ+ characters where none existed in the original versions. Shows such as The Magic School Bus, Power Rangers, The Baby‑Sitters Club, She‑Ra, and The Fairly OddParents were all cited as examples where newer iterations included LGBTQ+ representation not present in earlier seasons.
CWA criticized what it views as a deliberate effort by content creators to use children’s programming as a vehicle for cultural change rather than merely entertainment. The report contrasts today’s landscape with past television history. It highlights how mainstream LGBTQ+ representation has grown since the 1997 debut of Ellen DeGeneres’s character coming out on the sitcom Ellen, which was considered a cultural flashpoint at the time.
The report also acknowledges the longstanding efforts of groups like GLAAD, which has championed increased LGBTQ+ representation on television for decades. According to GLAAD’s own reporting, representation has continued to climb, with a reported 4 percent increase in overall visibility in the most recent year.
CWA argues that parents should be more aware of what their children are consuming and that the current ratings system should better reflect the nature of content, particularly when it comes to themes involving sexuality and gender identity.
This article originally appeared on American Faith and is reposted with permission.
