A well-known YouTube teacher popular with toddlers and young children is facing backlash among some of his fans after he praised LGBT people. pride Month. Rachel has 10 million subscribers on YouTube, and her most popular “early childhood learning videos” have been viewed hundreds of millions of times. She sparked controversy after congratulating her fans on her social media accounts, saying, “Happy Pride.”
“Happy Pride Day to all our amazing family and friends. I celebrate you all this month and every month,” she said in an Instagram video, in which she was wearing a rainbow-colored shirt. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re you.”
Her YouTube channel describes her content as “educational videos for toddlers and educational videos for babies.”
Her Instagram video has garnered more than 100,000 likes and numerous comments urging kindergarten teacher Rachel Accurso to stick to academic content, though the majority of the comments have been critical.
“My kids don’t know what pride is. Think bunnies and numbers and learning, Ms Rachel,” was the most common comment.
“So disappointing that a show aimed at babies and toddlers has to focus on sexuality,” said another popular comment. “Kids this age don’t need this. Total brainwashing.”
Rachel responded to her critics in the same video.
“To those commenting that they can’t watch the show because of the cheering, don’t worry, lots of love to you,” she said. “God bless you. I’m not chasing fame or ratings, I stand strong in love.”
She also posted another video defending the celebration of Pride Month and quoting Jesus. Matthew 22.
“A religion teacher asked Jesus, what is the greatest commandment? Jesus said love God and love your neighbor as yourself,” Rachel wrote on Instagram. video“… So everyone belongs here. Everyone is welcome. Everyone is treated with empathy and respect.”
She argued, “It doesn’t say to love all your neighbors.”
However, her appeal to the Bible also drew backlash.
“There’s a difference between loving your neighbor and encouraging their sinful lifestyle,” one person wrote.
“Jesus loves the woman caught in adultery and because he loves her he tells her to sin no more,” another wrote.
Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey also criticized Rachel’s message.
“I believe Rachel is a sincere person, but she misunderstands love,” Stuckey wrote on Twitter. “Biblical love rejoices in the truth.”
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jamie McCarthy/Staff
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
