It is 2015 and let’s face it, LGBT children exist. You know them, grow up with them, and many people even parent them. Children are children, and their sexuality may not register for years to come; but they need to see positive reactions and representations of themselves on television. No, we are not talking about graphic cartoons depicting man on man sex or curious girls playing “boyfriend.” We are talking about simple animated series that just so happen to have gay characters or are LGBT friendly due to their themes. Check out our list on the next page!
#4. Sailor Moon-Sailor Moon is an anime series centered on teams of mostly girls known as the Sailor Senshi, who protect the Earth from the forces of evil. Each of them have powers and abilities centered on planets. The show was a hit in the nineties, recently a reboot of the series, Sailor Moon Crystal has resurfaced and regained popularity. However, the show’s depiction of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune as two women in a deep and loving relationship is admirable, and was well before its time. Then there are the Sailor Starlights, men who transform into courageous female heroes in protection of their princess. Interesting huh?
#3. Clarence- Clarence is a surprising hit series on Cartoon Network. Why? Because like so many series on the network it is goofy and foolish. However, and interestingly, the show was originally set to feature an American animated series’ first gay kiss. That was changed and the two minor male characters on the show kissed on the cheek as they began their date. Check out the video below. Then, one of the series main characters, Jeff Randell, has two mothers. Although they appear strikingly heteronormative, they are completely normal!
#2. Legend of Korra- Legend of Korra is all types of awesomeness. Not only is Avatar Korra a badass, she is a hero who knows how to fail and recover. As a reincarnation of Avatar Aang, she has all of his abilities and few more based on her personal experiences. Still, the highlights of this series come from its many powerful female characters and lesbian ending. Korra and Asami enter the Spirit World together, symbolizing the elevation of their friendship to true love.
#1. Steven Universe- Cartoon Network tops the list with its hit series Steven Universe. This amazing series centers around some gender-less aliens, The Gems, who have a feminine appearance and protect the Earth from monsters and evil members of their race.Each of the aliens is named after a specific gem, birthstone, or mineral and have unique powers. They can also fuse together to become a different being. One of them, Garnet, is actually a fusion of two smaller gems, Ruby and Sapphire, who happen to be in a loving relationship. In fact Garnet, is kind of like their child and a physical representation of their relationship.
