The Gay Agenda: Being Accepted in Children’s Literature
Presentation Type
Presentation
Release Option
Event
Description
For many LGBTQ+ children, there is a lack of representation of their identities in the television shows they see growing up. We turn to objects, like television characters, to help “find our way,” which becomes limited for individuals who are part of the minority (Ahmed 1). When television shows reflect a variety of lived experiences, they can increase cultural competence in their viewers. While LGBTQ+ representation in children’s media has increased, it is still difficult to implement such representation. This thesis we will discuss three shows, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, and The Owl House, that have struggled with the implementation of LGBTQ+ characters, discussing why this representation matters, how media have made progress in this area, and what challenges remain to broaden LGBTQ+ in children’s media.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Lisa Costello
Department of Primary Presenter's Major
Department of Writing & Linguistics
Location
Concurrent Sessions (Room 229)
Symposium Year
2022
The Gay Agenda: Being Accepted in Children’s Literature
Concurrent Sessions (Room 229)
