Welcome to the first episode of a new TGAP mini-series called Queerness in Kids’ Media, where we discuss positive representations of queerness and LGBTQ themes in children’s TV and movies!
Today, we talk about ‘Gonzo-Rella’ from ‘Muppet Babies’ (2018). The episode centers around Gonzo (a male character) wanting to wear a dress while attending the babies’ make-believe royal ball, and after being told that boys can only dress as knights, assumes the guise of “Gonzo-rella” and teaches his friends that it’s okay to go against the norm.
While the episode’s message is primarily about how people should be able to dress and act however they want without having labels assigned to them, many have taken it to be “transgender propaganda” or “normalizing crossdressing”, going so far as to say the subject is too sexual for kids. Listen in as we discuss our LGBTQ views on ‘Gonzo-rella’, and why seeing a Muppet wearing a dress probably won’t cause the downfall of American heterosexuality.
