Sesame Street faces backlash for Pride month post, netizens accuse PBS of ‘grooming' kids
Sesame Street is facing intense backlash for sharing a Pride month post. On Sunday, the official X account of the popular children's show posted an illustration of its colourful cast of puppets holding hands to show support for the LGBTQ community. The now-viral photo has left netizens fuming, with parents accusing its network, PBS of 'grooming' kids.
'On our street, everyone is welcome. Together, let's build a world where every person and family feels loved and respected for who they are. Happy #PrideMonth!' Sesame Street captioned its rainbow-themed illustration, which has garnered over 22 million views on the platform so far.
Netizens swiftly slammed the post, alleging that the show is no longer the same Sesame Street they grew up watching in the 70s. 'Why do kids need to know about sex let alone gay sex?' one user asked while a second remarked, 'Kids don't care about sexual preferences. Only perverts and pedophiles are talking to children about sex.'
'THIS IS GROOMING. THIS IS CRIMINAL. THIS IS PERVERSION,' yet another user fumed. One more asked, 'Why is a children's tv programs celebrating sexuality?' 'This is why my grandson won't be watching you. I grew up with Sesame Street in the 70's, before it was woke. So sad that you had to ruin a good thing,' an angry parent said.
More than thousands of X users called out Sesame Street and PBS for its controversial Pride post. One grandparent who grew up watching the said, 'I grew up trusting Sesame Street to teach my kids the basics—reading, writing, arithmetic, and a sprinkle of kindness. That's what made you special. But now, 40 years later, I can't even let my grandchildren near your shows.'
'They've never seen a single episode, and I'll make sure they never will. Why can't you just stick to the fundamentals and leave the bedrooms and sexuality out of it? You're supposed to be a safe space for kids, not a platform for adult agendas. This isn't the Sesame Street I knew—stay away from our children!' they added.
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