You can get an overview of this "controversy" here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6869976/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6914617/ Although PBS refused to distribute the show WGBH (the show producers) offered it to anybody that wanted it and aired it themselves (last I saw 18 of the some 350 PBS stations agreed to air it). Here's WGBH's (of which, in the interest of fill disclosure, I'm an active member) response: http://www.wgbh.org/support/in_the_news Well - we watched it today. It seems to me that both sides were presenting the issues wrong (well... at least wrong-ish) but that in the end the show just didn't deserve the controversy. >From what I remember: +) Buster's father, while driving to the house, introduces his friend as "Karin and her partner Gillian". +) Buster is introduced to the kids and sees pictures of the family. He asks "is Gillian your mom too" and the child answers "she's my stepmom" to which Buster replies "you have a lot of moms!" +) Buster and the kids are sent out on errands to the Maple Sugaring business (plant, factory, orchard?), to the local dairy for some cheese and to a friends house (another same-sex couple) to pick up a casserole dish. +) Buster was staying with the family for the day while his father attended to some business. Neither of the same-sex couples introduced run the sugaring business or the dairy. In this sense, at least, the inclusion of the same-sex relationship wasn't integral to the story. +) The word "partner" (used once) is the only reference to the relationship of the adults. In all other cases only the relationship to the kids are mentioned at all. Except for the evening meal (which is begun with a Jewish prayer which Buster recognizes from a previous visit) and the culminating bonfire the adults are actually never shown on screen together. +) Even when shown on screen together there is nothing to indicate a relationship between the adults. No hand-holding, no kissing, no lustful glances, no pet names, no shots of a double bed, no nothing. +) As an estimation all verbal explanation (all two sentences of it) of the family unit was dealt with in the first five minutes of the show. The same-sex couples were on screen together for less than 2 minutes and apart for less than 3 or 4 minutes. So I believe that the proponents were wrong in their defense that the inclusion of the couple was "natural" (in most articles it intimates that the couple ran the Sugary). It was obviously and clearly included on purpose. Also some articles claimed that there was "no mention" of the couples at all, there clearly was. At the same time many of the show's attackers stated that the show "glamorized the homosexual lifestyle". It clearly doesn't. The references to the couple are both few and (very) subtle. As astute as young children are they are definitely not going to understand homosexuality by watching this show. I won't even address the many articles and Blogs I read that ranted about PBSs "Gay Agenda". As with other episodes in the series the point of the show is clearly to present healthy, happy US children in a variety of family, religious and economic situations. It is a superficial presentation to be sure (the show is aimed at 6-8 year olds). Just as the episode featuring a Moslem family didn't delve into the religion neither does this episode delve any deeper than would concern a seven-year old. The goal is quite clearly to foster tolerance and present diversity. By far the most unsettling scene in the show, at least to me, was when the children introduced Buster to a local treat: Sno-cone ice covered in Maple Syrup with a Dill pickle and a plain doughnut. Now that was offensive. ;^) (Now - to be completely fair whenever two attractive women appear on screen at the same time I do nudge my bride and whisper "sugartime"... but my personal perversions should not be used to judge the show itself. Also I may be less than fair in this whole thing since my kids have three grandmas but only one grandpa... you figure it out.) Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:146392 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
