Bluey is Surprisingly Sex Positive
(Reader’s Note: Bluey is told through a heteronormative, white, and middle class lens and has been criticized for not being inclusive of diverse people, so although there are some great ways to start a conversation using this medium, make sure to include a diverse constellation of families, people, and abilities within the media your children watch or read.)
If you have young kids, and your household has a screen, you’ve likely heard of Bluey. An animated show about an Australian Blue Heeler and her family; each 8-minute episode features highly relatable, and often heartwarming, family adventures that are easy for adults and kids to watch together.
It’s also the most sex positive kids show I’ve ever seen.
Bluey features a heterosexual “Mom” and “Dad” parent coupling, and episodes occasionally include them holding hands, kissing, and generally expressing loving actions and words towards each other. Showcasing the normalcy of affection between parents in kid’s shows demonstrates so much respect for our little people by acknowledging that they pay attention to the relationships going on around them, instead of pretending that kids may not ever see romantic interactions. Bluey normalizes curiosity around imaginative play related to broad aspects of sexuality such as giving birth, getting married, and exploring gender roles.
That’s not to say that families that love each other don’t “squabble” either. In several episodes, characters argue, both as siblings and as romantic partners. But the lasting message is that people can disagree or feel angry without stopping their love for another person, and conflict can even be good for relationships.
Each of these episodes is age-appropriate, easy to watch, and ripe with opportunities to talk about topics related to sexuality. Here are a few ideas based on some of my favorite episodes:
Fancy Restaurant - Bluey and her sister want their parents to “smoochy kiss” and “do romance,” so they host a fancy dinner for their parents to enjoy together. Ask your child about what they think it means to “do romance”, how loving family is different than loving someone romantically, how they show people they love them through actions, and why romance is something that is between older people (like teens and adults).
Double Babysitter - The kids end up with two babysitters by accident who show a romantic interest in each other. Discuss how someone knows they might know they like a person as more than a friend.
Postman - The parents argue and Bluey insists that Dad write Mum a letter. Bluey decides she doesn’t want to ever squabble with anyone, ever. Talk with your child about whether it’s okay to sometimes argue or disagree with people you love, and what it means when “squabbles sometimes feel good.”
Mums and Dads - Two friends playing “Moms and Dads” argue over gender roles. Ask kids about gender role stereotypes, expand them to be more inclusive (or irrelevant).
Early Baby - Bluey and her friends role-play giving birth, and they pretend one of the newborns is pre-term and needs time in the NICU, just like something that happened in a character’s family. Share experiences that people you know have had giving birth, time in the NICU, what makes a baby early, and why they need special care.