“My Little Pony has always been about friendship and accepting people”

Discovery Family’s My Little Pony has introduced a same-sex couple in time for Pride . This introduction comes a month after the PBS children’s cartoon Arthur, which features the teacher Mr. Ratburn come out as gay as well as marry a man. Alabama Public Television banned the episode after this move.

My Little Pony has been running for nearly a decade, it’s almost time to bid adieu to the show as it prepares to wrap up. Despite nearly wrapping up, the ninth and final season which is close to halfway through will feature the show fostering inclusivity in new and different ways.

The episode titled The Last Crusade written by Nicole Dubuc features the introduction of the long-absent parents of the young Pegasus Scootaloo. This will excite fans as it answers a longstanding plot point which many have been wondering. In the episode, Scootaloo and her friends who call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders meet the current guardians of Scootaloo, Auntie Lofty and Aunt Holiday.

While it’s easy to assume that the two are adult siblings who are watching over their niece, that’s not the case. In the episode, it becomes clear that Lofty and Holiday aren’t siblings or even in-laws, they are a lesbian couple. Writer and Producer, Michael Vogel, of My Little Pony confirmed the relationship through Twitter.

While this is the couple’s first appearance on the Discovery Family cartoon, it isn’t their first appearance in the My Little Pony lore. The couple first appeared in the 2017 book titled Ponyville Mysteries: Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe.

Nicole Dubuc said,”I think it’s fantastic that we can show that what truly defines a family is love – that, to me, is the core of My Little Pony.”

Vogel, who is openly gay, has said that My Little Pony has always been about friendship as well as acceptance of anyone different from you.

I legit teared up that a character on My Little Pony now has gay aunts, just like me!https://t.co/squCw0eGYw — Nicolas Barriere-K (@Soranomaru) June 15, 2019

Many people have voiced their agreement over Vogel’s statement and have commended the show for its inclusivity. However, some have also expressed their disapproval such as Australian conservative pundit Lyle Shelton who is one among others disapproving the show’s decision.

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