June 1, 2021
Watch: Conservative Groups Slam 'Blue's Clues' Pride Singalong as 'Predatory'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Conservative groups took aim at an animated singalong from "Blue's Clues" on Nickelodeon's YouTube channel, claiming the "predatory" Pride-themed video is intended to "indoctrinate" children.
The video, titled "The Blue's Clues Pride Parade," shows children's show character Blue together with a cartoon version of drag performer Nina West.
"'This family has two mommies, they love each other so proudly, and they all go marching in the big parade!' West sings as each family, depicted as different animals including alligators, cats and bears, pass by her," New York Post reports.
The video premiered on Nickelodeon's YouTube channel on May 28, just days ahead of Pride Month.
West, a contestant on Season 11 of "RuPaul's Drag Race," posted the video to Instagram, where it drew praises from fans.
"Is there a better way to kick off Pride Month than with my pal, Blue?!" West shared. "No way! Singing and dancing in the streets celebrating Pride is so much fun, especially with all of our new friends!"
The video represents different families as animals, including bears, dolphins, and alligators.
However, not everyone was happy to see the iconic cartoon dog celebrating love and family in all its forms. Conservatives attacked the video, zeroing in on what they claimed was "sexual" messaging and deemed the singalong "predatory," according to The Christian Post.
Per the article, "Critics of the video noted how flagrantly gender confusion and sexualized themes were targeted at young children."
The article went on to characterize well-understood medical practices in the care of transgender youth as "experimental," and cited Maria Keffler – author of the book "Desist, Detrans, & Detox: Getting Your Child Out of the Gender Cult" – as saying it is "both disappointing and disturbing" that "Blue's Clues has decided to add sexuality and gender material to its programming."
"Keffler added that a 'well-documented tactic that child sexual predators employ when grooming a child for sexual abuse is to introduce sexual topics and materials to the child who is being targeted,'" the Christian Post added.
"No child is born in the wrong body, and how dare anyone suggest that they could be," Keffler asserted.
Conservative podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey hit on other familiar rhetorical points in her response, with the Christian Post quoting her as saying: "Kids are always the unconsenting subjects of leftist social experiments, from population control to the redefinition of gender and sexuality to communism itself."
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh also took to Twitter to attack the video.
But others on the social media platform countered Walsh's assertions.
Earlier this year, Nickelodeon program "Blue's Clues & You!" created a buzz with an alphabet song that included "Pride" – along with representations of the Pride flag, the transgender flag, and other flags representing different groups – as an illustration for the letter "P."
Watch the Pride-themed singalong with Nina West below.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.