new yorker

When Will Sesame Street Really Show LGBT Characters?

The New Yorker brought a smile to many of our faces with its latest cover, showing Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie embracing while they watched news of the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision. I had mixed feelings about this, though, for the cover drove home to me once again how little representation of LGBT families there really is for the youngest age groups—even on a show known for its groundbreaking depictions of families of color, children with disabilities, and single moms.

Happy Motherz Day

The New Yorker’s terrific cover this week shows two moms reading a card while their children peek from the next room. Artist Chris Ware explained his thinking behind the image in a blog post titled “Happy Mothers’ Day.” That should come as no surprise; the magazine ran a cartoon in 2011 in which a girl with two mothers explains to her teacher how she punctuates the holiday. But as I pointed out then, “Mothers’ Day” doesn’t necessarily reflect all lesbian moms.

The New Yorker Lesbian Mom Cartoon

I’ve been writing Mothers’ (‘s) Day for years (at least as far back as 2007); now the New Yorker makes the punctuation funny in one of its famed cartoons. Let’s not forget, however, that while Heather may have two mommies, Jane may have only one—but she may still be a lesbian. Here’s wishing you a happy day

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