Hopster, a learning and entertainment service for preschoolers, has today launched a variety of LGBTQ-inclusive animated stories, songs, and video books—watch two of their cute ones right here!
Hopster’s LGBT+ content is a mix of original videos developed in conjunction with the charity Diversity Role Models, as well as acquired content from several other sources. It will be available in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand through Hopster’s advertising-free, subscription video on demand service, which you can get via their mobile app for Apple and Android, as well as via Comcast Xfinity X1, Dish, Sling, and Roku.
Hopster’s head of communications and marketing, Natalie Petrou, told me via e-mail, “We’re incredibly proud of all the content on Hopster and the support we have received for our LGBT+ inclusive content for kids has been overwhelmingly positive. As a business we believe in total inclusivity and equality, whether that be about religion, gender, sexuality, disability or nationality and we have surrounded ourselves with brilliant team content creators, suppliers and investors who all believe in living that value. Discrimination and bias are learned behaviours. At Hopster we want to help children learn the positive values of inclusivity and equality, and reflect the diverse world they live in. This includes content where kids can learn about different types of families, which challenge assumptions & stereotypes and better reflect the modern world. LGBT+ families are underrepresented in preschool TV. We want to change this and bring positive LGBT+ characters to the screen. Our aim is to nurture inclusion in kids and prevent homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.”
The U.K.-based Hopster said in its announcement, “We think kids should experience stories that positively reflect the love and diversity of the world around them,” and they stress, “It has nothing to do with sex education.”
Miki Chojnacka, chief creative and content officer at Hopster noted in March when the LGBTQ content was first announced, “Our mission at Hopster is to celebrate differences and challenge gender stereotypes, all in line with the UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. We know that every child is unique and different and so are their families. Right now, a child growing up with same-sex parents would never see their family represented on screen. We wanted to change that, and we’re delighted that Diversity Role Models have partnered with us to make it happen.”
Adam McCann, chief executive officer at Diversity Role Models, added, “We are all different and no young person should feel they are less equal because of who they are or the family they have. We help young people learn how to embrace, accept and support difference.”
And Jon Rennie, managing director of Cloth Cat Animation, which animated Rainbow Stories, wrote recently about why the project was so important, noting, “The most important thing is that people can now tell their stories with pride and understanding. We learn best from others, knowing that we’re not alone, knowing that someone has thought the same thoughts. We’re all individuals, but sometimes we share far more experiences than we realise.”
Here’s how Hopster describes the specific videos:
About our Original Content
Rainbow Stories is an original animated series from Hopster Studios, created in partnership with education charity Diversity Role Models. It is a mini short-form series consisting of three stand-alone episodes inspired from a real-life role models from Diversity Role Models Charity.
Animated Film – Rainbow Stories: Stella / Stuart. The story of a child named Stella, who feels uncomfortable as a girl and wants to be a boy named Stuart. This is a positive story about being true to yourself and gaining the confidence to trust and find acceptance among your friends and family.
- Animated Film – Rainbow Stories: Peter, Mark, James and Einstein. Based on a true and heartwarming story about a boy called James and how he finds happiness in his new home with his newly adopted parents Peter and James and their cat Einstein.
- Animated Film – Rainbow Stories: Lynsey and Holly. This is an empowering true story of Lynsey, who overcame teasing and bullying at school to become a doctor—and marry the love of her life, a girl named Holly.
- Animated Song: Love is Love. An uplifting (and very catchy) song that celebrates love and all the colours of the rainbow, reflecting modern-day families and relationships and the power of Pride.
- Animated Mini Documentary: Family Question Time. Our animated mini-documentary, offering a snapshot of diverse real-life families being silly and talking about their lives.
Acquired content:
Original Song from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Who I am. Inspiring song that is about staying true to yourself.
- Video from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Prince Henry – A Gay Fairytale. The King and Queen think it’s time for their son to choose someone to marry and spend his life with, but are they surprised by who he chooses? Watch and find out!
- Video from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Discrimination Explained for Kids. In this video we discover what discrimination means and provide a few examples. We also talk about discrimination and the law.
- Video from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Goldilocks. Goldilocks is out meeting all the different families in the village, but what is she delivering to them?
- Video from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Waiting for a Princess. Aaliyah is a Princess… and an unlucky one at that. All she wants is to be rescued by a Princess, is that too much too ask?
- Video from Pop ‘n’ Olly: Little Red Riding Dude. A story about pride and always being yourself. Join Christopher, or as he is better known, ‘Little Red Riding Dude’, as he journeys to his Grandma’s house—but who will he meet along the way?
- Ebook: Julián is a Mermaid. [Based on the book by Jessica Love
.] On the train home with his Nana, Julian notices three spectacularly dressed women, with vibrant hair and dresses which end in fishtails. Their joy fills the carriage and when Julian gets home all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies. But what will his Nana think?
- Ebook: Mommy, Mama and Me. [Based on the book by Lesléa Newman
.] Rhythmic text and illustrations with universal appeal show a toddler spending the day with its mothers. From hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight, there’s no limit to what a loving family can do together.
- Ebook: The Girl with Two Dads. [Based on the book by Mel Elliott
.] In this story, Pearl Power notices the new girl has something very different—and very cool—about her family. But perhaps, it’s not that different after all?
- Additionally, ebooks of The Bravest Knight and Rosaline, based on two fairy tales by Daniel Errico, will be available in all of the countries mentioned above except for the U.S., because of licensing restrictions. [Those two stories are, however, available separately on Hulu in the U.S.—and The Bravest Knight is also spinning off the first TV series for kids to center a family with same-sex parents, launching next week.]
Hopster is also offering educational resources for parents and other grown-ups who are watching these shows with their kids:
- “Hopster’s Rainbow Stories: Episode Guide and Discussion Points,” with information on episode-specific topics
- “Discussing LGBT+ with young children — a parent’s guide,” a more general guide, developed by Diversity Role Models
Hopster’s move is only one of several recent initiatives trying to bring more LGBTQ-inclusive video content to children. Next week, as I mentioned above, Hulu is premiering a 13-episode series based on The Bravest Knight; PBS Kids’ Arthur just introduced a same-sex couple and showed their wedding; filmmaker Molly Allis is Kickstarting a queer, animated kids’ show; and Xfinity X1 has an LGBTQ Kids & Family section that includes not only the Hopster content, but also recommendations from Mombian and others. See also the longer piece I wrote for Xfinity last year on the history of LGBTQ children’s media.
Could we be about to see an explosion of LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ shows on screen, just as we’ve seen an explosion of LGBTQ-inclusive kids’ books over the past year or so? Time will tell. Still, I think things are picking up momentum, despite opposition in some quarters. We should be grateful, even as we push for more stories and more diversity among and within those stories.
Watch Hopster’s Love Is Love and Peter, Mark, James, and Einstein videos below. I particularly like that in Love Is Love, one of the moms in the two-mom family has short hair and tattoos–a nice acknowledgment of the diversity of gender expression. Be warned, though—the tune is a bit of an earworm.
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