More than a decade after Play School was dubbed Gay School by News Corp for featuring “two mums” on a day out with their daughter, the ABC’s treasured preschool program has put out a casting call for a child with two dads.



Now in its 50th year, Play School is scouting for five to seven year olds for the famous “through the windows” segment which will explore the different types of families in Australian society, including “an adopted family, an extended family, a blended family, an Indigenous nuclear family and a family with two dads”.

“We’re really excited about the My Family, Your Family segments,” Play School executive producer Jan Stradling told Guardian Australia.

“The idea is to reflect current Australian society by showing a range of family structures and backgrounds. In these stories, we explore the relationships and bonds of a family. We will look at how they care for one another and share experiences, roles and responsibilities.

“All of these factors are common aspects that promote a sense of belonging for a child regardless of family type. The focus of the ‘through the windows’ segments is always on the child and the favourite activities they love to do with their families, the emphasis being on spending time together.”

But when the ABC dared to air a similar windows segment in 2004 which showed little Brenna Harding enjoying a day out with her “two mums”, the Herald Sun stirred up a controversy under the headline “Gay school for tots row”.

“In a move that has angered family groups, the home of Big Ted delved into the issue of lesbian parenthood without any warning,” the Herald Sun said.

Then prime minister John Howard called the decision to depict Harding with her parents “foolish’’ and Tony Abbott weighed in calling it shocking. “I think that if I’d been watching it with my kids, I’d have been a bit shocked,” the then health minister said.

But it was a beat-up and the ABC stood its ground. The segment did not focus on gay parenting at all, it simply referred to it in passing with the line: “I’m Brenna. That’s me in the blue. My mums are taking me and my friend Meryn to an amusement park”.

The then head of children’s television, Claire Henderson, was unapologetic, saying the segment “showed one of the many types of family groups that exist in Australia today” and was designed to “reflect the variety of the contemporary world”.

“Play School aims to reflect the diversity of Australian children, embracing all manner of race, religions and family situations.”

Stradling says Play School has never specifically highlighted same-sex parenting.

“In the ‘two mums’ episode broadcast in 2004, the parents were actually incidental to the story of a young child’s experience of a day at the fun park,” she said. “The associated controversy around this was surprising, especially as the episode had been broadcast earlier without any adverse reaction.

“Since then we have continued to approach telling the stories of children in the same way, regardless of the nature of their family. In Play School’s 50th year, we are focusing on the theme My Family, Your Family. What a great opportunity for today’s young Australians to see themselves reflected on screen, as part of the diverse, unique Australian community we live in.”

Brenna’s story had a happy ending. She grew up to be an award-winning actress starring in Puberty Blues and when she accepted an acting award she made headlines all over again, this time for thanking her “two women, my beautiful mothers’’ in her Logies acceptance speech.

“The conversation has definitely evolved,” Stradling says.

“While there are still many families with mum, dad and two kids, there is also a significant and growing number of blended families, same-sex parents, single parents, grandparents as primary carers and many more.

“We don’t see this as anything controversial, just a reflection of contemporary Australian life. We want preschool children from across the community to be able to see themselves as part of this very special show.”