Watching cartoons is a wonderful pastime enjoyed by people of all ages. The bright imagery and zany characters of animation draw the attention of many. Cartoons can be an extremely influential and important form of media if handled correctly, and the popular channel Cartoon Network knows this.
Cartoon Network has been on our TVs since 1992. The animation channel brought us some dearly beloved shows, such as; The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Dexter’s Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy and many more. Cartoon Network has been a beloved companion to millennials and Generation Z alike. They have an abundance of fans, with numbers constantly growing as young children gain interest and begin watching. Aware of their influence, Cartoon Network put all the attention to good use.
Representation for minorities has always been an issue. We are constantly battling for positive LGBT+, POC and disability representation in media. Things are improving, slowly. However, we tend to fixate on live-action shows and films, with real-life actors. Cartoon Network tackles the representation issue, including positivity directed towards LGBT+ and POC within their cartoons.
We Bare Bears is a very good example of the representation and diversity Cartoon Network has subtly brought to our TVs. The creator of the popular show is Daniel Chong – an Asian-American. On November 11th 2016, Chong posted this tweet:
“…I recieved some questions and criticism about why the Bears were treated so poorly by some humans, and that their treatment often felt unmotivated. After all, these Bears were really fun and cute, so how could anyone deny them what they wanted? My response is it has always been evident to me, as an Asian American, that some individuals are treated unfairly for no other reason than looking differently. And although the premise is three Bears trying to fit into human society and is a largely comic one, it is to me an allegory for what it feels like to be a minory in America.”
We Bare Bears demonstrates how minorities are treated in America in a way that even children can understand, whilst also being an enjoyable show. The cartoon also includes Chloe Park, a twelve year old prodigy who is friends with the Bears. Chloe and her parents are recurring characters. They are Korean and often do speak Korean on the show. The show’s diversity isn’t in your face, but is more subtle. This screenshot of an episode helps show the sort of diversity We Bare Bears contains: 
Cartoon Network’s representation doesn’t just stop at racial diversity. In a very sweet episode of The Amazing World of Gumball based on love and what it is, they included this short gay-positive animation about how there are no rules to love.
Representation matters. Media influences us all, even from a young age. Teaching kids right from the start that being gay is okay and that there’s nothing wrong with not being white is absolutely essential. Putting representation cartoons doesn’t solve the world’s problems, but it is a stepping stone. It helps normalise diversity and representation in enjoyable media consumed by people of all ages. Cartoon Network is doing great work with their shows. Please support them in any way you can!
