Not enough gender stereotypes in Bluey

[teezletangler]

This article is making the rounds online:

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/04/15/bluey-cartoon-diverse-characters-disabled-queer-gender-diverse-dogs[[https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/04/15/bluey-cartoon-diverse-characters-disabled-queer-gender-diverse-dogs/ /
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The spectacularly inane original article is here: https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/can-bluey-show-be-more-representative/100042084

"Australian children's show Bluey has been criticised for not having "disabled, queer, poor, gender diverse, dogs of colour and single-parent dog families"

For those not familiar, Bluey is a very popular Australian cartoon series about a dog family. Leaving aside the likely intelligence level of someone who can write with a straight face that a show needs more "dogs of colour", the "gender diverse" call-out really struck me. The wonderful thing about this show IMO is that there are no gender stereotypes. No gendered clothing (dogs don't wear clothes!), no silly eyelashes on the female characters. My 5 yo had to point out to me that Bluey is a girl I had stupidly assumed it was a boy.

So the call for "gender diverse" dogs doesn't make any sense. There is basically no gender in this show. Then it struck me. These people on the so-called progressive left are actually offended by lack of gender. They have no interest in getting rid of gender stereotypes; they want more of them. Why?? I can only assume it is because they need the boring, generic folk to be heavily steeped in gender stereotypes so we can identify who the cool / woke / right on people are who reject them; and if they aren't able to do that, then we can't identify them as special. And of course if there are no gender stereotypes, then they have no way of explaining trans ideology and the whole thing falls apart. To me this comment really crystallizes everything that is wrong with this movement.

Bluey is the absolute best TV show. It has so much fun and diversity if you look below the surface. Rusty is my favourite character. He is so accepting of Jack immediately and is incredibly kind even when going through hard times while his dad is away. The pineapple on his hat made us adults laugh a fair bit.
There appears to be single parents and disabilities and many other subjects covered. Even the sickness of grandparents. It’s about how little any of it really matters to the kids and how they accept everyone as exactly who they are. Even the kid who is horrible to Bingo gets forgiveness and understanding. I bloody love this show and have been in tears on more than one occasion.
Anyone who attacks it can kiss my bottom. They are obviously not smart enough to ‘get’ it.

I had never heard of this show ( I’m in the US) but now I’m watching it with DD on Disney +, and we are rolling about laughing. This has been a good MN day.

My kids and I are well out of the age range for Bluey but my son and I stumbled on it one day and it’s a show that all of us will watch together, we all love the humour and I have also had tears in my eyes on so many occasions.
It’s such a good, heart warming show without being schmaltzy and it’s also so Australian. Plus the one where they look at the creek and they get leeches totally made my son stop freaking out when he gets leeches on bush walks sometimes.
The dad is so funny, their relationship is loving, equal, kind and warm (The Show, where it’s acted out how they meet is hilarious “Love ya Babe”) and DH and I are always quoting bits from it (“out the way salads”).
Plus, lastly, on my rant on why Bluey is the best show on TV, my kids watch it and it actually genuinely influences their behaviour for good.
Best show ever and I actually do think the characters are pretty diverse as has been mentioned above.

Aussie here. I don’t know how to articulate a feeling of calm, peace, amusement, relatability and comfort in a cohesive statement, but basically that’s what Bluey provides. There’s nothing quite like hearing a succession of neighbourhood kids from seperate households scream, “Bluey’s on!”, followed by seven minutes of stillness and muffled giggling throughout the street...for now, at the very least, let the kids have their Bluey, as is. It’s given a lot of families just what they’ve needed to crack on since it premiered

The amount of times my family all burst into laughter at an utterly relatable moment is hilarious.
In Hammerbarn my youngest said “how do they know exactly what we buy in Bunnings?”

We were forced to stay “just for this episode” at my parents’ place at Easter because my Dad wanted to (re)watch “Hammerbarn”...if Bluey doesn’t bring people together, I don’t know what will! 🤣

I shouted on my husband to come through and watch Dance Mode, and paused it until he got there. It’s just brilliant.

Wtf is a dog of colour? I'm a 'woman of colour' do I need a fucking dog in the right shade of brown to represent me? Is that not profoundly racist? It's dogs for fuck's sake.

It's dogs for fuck's sake.

That made me properly LOL. 😁

I do like Bluey although my DC love to play the magic xylophone game with annoying regularity. DH and I always end up with our fingers up our noses and having to 'wake up and pretend to be surprised 14,000 times in a row.

And please, for the sake of the world, may the article be a spoof...

I wish I could parent a bit more like Bluey's parents. They look like so much fun.

Plus my Dd loves it and now wanders round saying 'Namaste Mate' in a crap Australian accent which I find hilarious 😂

Whenever I relax on the sofa my kids try and make me into "mount mumanddad".

I think it's a wonderful show.

DD loves it and I genuinely think it's helped her to understand the different needs of people. The grannies are bloody hilarious and DD goes round calling me dearie and mate in an aussie accent. We play some of the games on the way to school. I love that there are not gender stereotypes.

Honestly, this sort of shit in the article is just ridiculous. As mumsnet is fond of saying, they need to give their heads a wobble.