Books and shows with gay characters for a nine year old

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DS9 has said a few things that suggest he is gay. I have no problem with this, and recognise that roughly 1 in 10 people are gay so this shouldn’t really be a big deal! I’d like him to grow up knowing that this is, for want of a better word, normal.

As it happens we don’t have any gay friends or relatives.

I’m wondering whether there are any books/tv shows that include gay characters just to show him that this is normal / ok? For example he sees in cartoons that men marry/live with women, and has commented that he’ll never get married and will always live alone, but I wonder if he has really internalised that marrying a man is an option - I mean he knows academically but has no real life examples.

Grateful for recommendations for books/cartoons that include gay characters while also being interesting for a 9 year old - bonus points for dragons/dinosaurs/robots!

She Ra and the Princesses of Power is really good - mainly female characters but some great gay male role models too. Lovely storytelling about finding yourself and finding your friends as well and it's very funny, so adults can enjoy watching with their kids

I've heard Steven Universe is good for queer representation, but I haven't watched it myself.

There's a cartoon called The Loud House that DD used to watch when she was about that age, the main character's best friend has two dads.

The story of those two male penguins that pair bonded and raised a chick (so if we are anthropomorphising they were gay) was made into a book and it’s also a “real life” example.

It’s called “And Tango makes three” although it could be a bit young for him at 9.

Modern Family

Can he really be sexually attracted to people of the same sex at 9 ? That's what being Gay is .

DS9 has said a few things that suggest he is gay

Like what? Could you not just have a conversation about what he’s saying?

I think some gay people do know at that age. Not all by any means but some.

As a straight person I never had crushes on girls - only boys. See no reason why a gay child wouldn’t or couldn’t experience similar.

That said the comment about only living alone - it may be he finds girls “yucky” as many 9 year boys do so can’t consider the thought of it !

But you said he’d said a few things and as his mum you’ll have a better grasp than any of us.

Might be too young for him but it does have what you're looking for.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/rafi-the-wishing-wizard

The last firefox by Lee Newbury is a great book as are the sequels. The main character has two dads.

Bit young for him but CBeebies Vida the Vet and also Ravi the wishing wizard, both have 2 dads?

Thank you, actually I used to love she ra so will enjoy seeing it updated!

I think at 9 he can be starting to have inklings, yes. It’s common for kids at that age to start having crushes or feeling curious about sex. Obviously I don’t expect him to act on any of those feelings for a long time yet!

Thank you for all the recommendations, I’ll start introducing them.

He has said a few things over the last six months that just suggest to me that he may be gay, and it’s made me think about increasing the gay representation that he sees.

I don’t want to start listing out all of our conversations, you’ll have to take my word for it that I have reason to think this!

But if it turns out he’s straight I still think it would be good for him to know that being gay is “normal”, I expect he’ll have gay friends/colleagues etc over the years and I wouldn’t want him to have any issues about it.

Im really aware that as he gets older he’ll get more exposed to toxic attitudes, I want to lay some foundations for the kind of beliefs I’d hope to pass on to my kids.

Molly and Mack
Vida the Vet
Both on CBeebies so perhaps too young.

I think what you are doing is wonderful! A friend of a friend was in a similar situation: was aware from primary age that her son was possibly gay. Turned out she was right.

Who is gay in Molly and Mack?

Ah, no one. I muddled it with something else.

Couple of booklists that cover the age group

Nine LGBTQ+ books for 8–12 year olds | BookTrust https://share.google/90Em234yTonqqpCr5

LGBTQIA+ themed books for primary school aged children https://share.google/t5gG0N0r1vWaEsC8W

The Owl House

great representation about accepting ourselves. Learning and studying (magic) are important to success. So is working as a team.

it’s not spoon fed or candy-coated. The villains are real and cruel. The danger is real. Life hurts sometimes for our beloved heroes.

it’s a really wonderful show that ended far too soon because Disney got scared about pushing the envelope.

Thank you I’ll look those up as well, lots of great tips here, much appreciated

I don’t know of any books but a childhood friend of mine at a similar age liked playing with jewellery and handbags (wearing beads). My mum thought he was gay then but he had a very Christian church going background and his mum wanted to deny it. No surprise at all when as a teenager he came out.

Of course. I was sexually attracted to men/boys much younger than that. And knew I didn't fancy girls. Knowing your own sexuality when you're a year or so from puberty is fairly normal?