An unintended consequence of today’s fragmented media landscape is that parents often lose track of the content their kids might encounter. There’s just so much available everywhere—expecting parents to filter through every video, story, or series out there isn’t just tough; it’s nearly impossible. For instance, Netflix alone offers 2.2 million minutes of content, which breaks down to around 36,000 hours of programming. And YouTube? About 700,000 hours of new videos are uploaded daily.
Since it’s not feasible to preview everything their children might watch across all these platforms, parents tend to rely on parental controls and content ratings designed to help identify possibly inappropriate material. They learn to look for ratings like “Y,” “Y7,” “G,” or “PG” for guidance on what’s appropriate for specific age groups.
But that doesn’t mean they can completely pass the buck. It’s more about recognizing our finite time and limitations as humans.
If a parent comes across a Netflix animated series rated TV-Y7, they might naturally assume the content is suitable for kids aged seven and up. However, there can be surprises lurking beneath that rating, especially when it comes to topics surrounding sexuality and gender identity.
Take, for example, the show “Dead End: Paranormal Park.” One conversation from the series goes, “This is not a park. It’s—it’s me. I’m transgender, Norma. And everyone at school knows it, everyone knows it at home.” This kind of dialogue caught parents off guard.
And it doesn’t stop there. After a clip from this show gained traction online, folks began searching for similar instances of Netflix programming introducing LGBTQ themes to children. What they found raised eyebrows.
The series “Transformers: Earthspark,” also rated Y7, includes lines like, “Hey, it’s okay. I know I’m safe when I’m with friends and other non-binary people.” Another character asks, “Non-binary? What does that mean?”
“Strawberry Shortcake: Berries of Big City” (rated TV-Y) even features a character’s two fathers, where one father openly talks about living authentically as a transgender person. But here’s the kicker: most of these segments come from several years ago, and many listeners seem unaware they even existed until now, particularly after creator Hamish Steele stirred up controversy with a recent post.
These shows have been available for quite a while, operating under the radar. And this makes one wonder: How many kids are exposed to themes of gender identity and sexuality that they may not be ready to explore? How many might be inadvertently led down a path that could have lasting impacts?
This situation is concerning.
Maya Angelou once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” Netflix has faced backlash before—whether it was due to the deeply controversial “Cuties,” the depiction of sensitive topics in “13 Reasons Why,” or others. These weren’t one-offs; they’ve been recurrent issues.
It’s easy to laugh about the situation until we realize how unsettlingly close it is to reality. Netflix has generally chosen not to engage with the wave of criticism.
As parents, it’s crucial to be candid about the compromises we make when it comes to entertainment for our kids. We can’t predict every potential risk or disturbing content they might encounter. Yet, Netflix has repeatedly illustrated that children are truly affected by what they watch. Perhaps it’s time we began to take that seriously.
