Netflix has a new children's show coming, with a piece of inclusivity we haven't yet seen on a show geared toward preschoolers.
The show, Ridley Jones, premieres next week on Netflix. It will include a cast of characters centered around a 6-year-old girl who lives with her family in a treehouse inside the Museum of Natural History.
Also featured is Fred the Bison, who is nonbinary. When asked if Fred Is a "he or a she" by the main character, Peaches the monkey simply responds "they're just a Fred."
You can see the show trailer here:
Ezra Menas, the voice actor for Fred, is also nonbinary.
Very cool happenings in the adventures of Ridley Jones. Fred the Bison is Netflix's first non-binary kids' show character. Expect some great things from Fred! @chrisdocneehttps://www.scarymommy.com/ridley-jones-first-nonbinary-character-netflix-preschool-show/\u00a0\u2026— Shark Dead (@Shark Dead) 1624917300
children\u2019s shows almost never have lgbtq+ representation, but yet the character that chris is playing in ridley jones is a gay dad - seeing that kind of representation being shown in children\u2019s shows honestly makes me so happy to see ,, not to forgot the non binary bison !!pic.twitter.com/UaeCNyyTOs— kimmo \u096a (@kimmo \u096a) 1623216197
Get ready to meet Fred the bison when RIDLEY JONES comes to Netflix July 13. Fred's pronouns are they/them and they're voiced by @ezra_menas !pic.twitter.com/LgmXq4GfLr— Most (@Most) 1624558792
The show will also feature a mummy queen who has two daddies.
The mummy's daddies are voiced by actor and children's author Chris Colfer and Broadway star Andrew Rannells.
We have Odee the nonbinary okapi on Madagascar A Little Wild, a Blues And Clues And You video about a Pride Parade, & on Ridley Jones, we have Fred the nonbinary bison and Ismat the mummy queen with two fathers.pic.twitter.com/bMzAkQnXVH— Danny Martinez (@Danny Martinez) 1623178680
hey @netflix these teasers you have on youtube for Ridley Jones is killing my 9 month old .. this is cruel. y\u2019all have to release this asap, this is the first thing she likes other than cocomelon 10000%— thiccorita FATTIANA CLITORIA (@thiccorita FATTIANA CLITORIA) 1625070947
I really just watched that Ridley Jones trailer for kids the whole two minute ad that\u2019s how cool the night at the museum concept is— pair of pears \ud83c\udf3f (@pair of pears \ud83c\udf3f) 1625450256
Chris Nee, the creator of the show, is also renowned for creating the popular children's show Doc McStuffins. But with Ridley, she said she saw an opportunity to "push the boundaries of representation."
"In many ways, Fred is playing out a lot of things that I felt as a gay kid growing up in the `70s and the ´80s," she said.
"You might be at a moment of finding your true self, which is a very joyful thing, at a time when you're looking at the news and are very aware there are factions of the country who really hate you."
children\u2019s shows almost never have lgbtq+ representation, but yet the character that chris is playing in ridley jones is a gay dad - seeing that kind of representation being shown in children\u2019s shows honestly makes me so happy to see ,, not to forgot the non binary bison !!pic.twitter.com/UaeCNyyTOs— kimmo \u096a (@kimmo \u096a) 1623216197
Just how amazing is my pal @ezra_menas . They are the voice of not 1 but 2 non-binary characters on 2 different shows. Odee the Opaki on Madagascar-A Little Wild and Fred the Bison on Ridley Jones.— Val\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f (@Val\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f) 1624693895
It's really great to see @Netflix creating kids' content that is *fully* inclusive. Chris Nee is next-level Mx Rogers for 21st-Century kids.— Derek E. Baird (@Derek E. Baird) 1625678431
Nee has no doubt children watching the show will understand the concept of nonbinary gender, because it’s "just actually what's happening in the world, and we're reflecting it."
"Sticking your head in the sand isn't going to change that, and it is going to mean that we're not being as supportive as we can be to the kids who are going through these things."
Children's television is paying more attention to promoting inclusivity. During June, Sesame Street introduced its first two gay dads in the history of the series.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram