Diverse kids’ shows leave positive, lasting impressions on young viewers. Growing up, TV producer Chris Nee had a hard time connecting to the childhood shows she watched. For a lesbian woman growing up in the ‘80s, TV shows with diverse leads didn’t exist, and this lack of representation eventually became the inspiration for Nee’s work as a TV writer. Disney’s Doc McStuffins was pitched and produced by Nee, which features a Black female doctor as the lead and marked the first time a Disney show aired an episode featuring an interracial lesbian couple. The show captured young viewers and quickly became one of the most popular children’s TV shows, and brought representation of Black women as medical professionals to the center of kids’ entertainment. In a survey of over 900 girls who intend to pursue STEM as a career, 50% named Doc McStuffins as a character who inspired them. YPulse’s Representation in Action trend data shows that 45% of BIPOC parents have had their child watch a TV show/movie because it featured a diverse cast, and Nee’s next round of diverse kids’ shows include We the People and Ridley Jones both premiering next month. (NYT)
