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“We must remember that television is not a values-neutral forum, meaning that there are always explicit or subtle messages being conferred upon the audience. And that leads to the second takeaway, which is this: Parents must exert total control over what their children watch to ensure that their values are the ones being enforced in the home. “
–JASON MATTERA
The process of parenting is already challenging but progressives in the entertainment industry are devoted to making it even harder, with their around-the-clock efforts to usurp the moral authority of the family.
The latest example of this unholy devotion comes by way of a Netflix series called “Ridley Jones,” which is a cartoon geared toward preschoolers. For those not familiar, the show tells the story of “curious kid Ridley and her friends” as they “protect the Museum of Natural History’s treasures and keep its magical secret safe.”
The series has been likened to Ben Stiller’s “Night at the Museum” because, in “Ridley Jones” everything “comes alive at night.”
The difference between “Ridley Jones” and that of the Stiller flick, however, is that Stiller wasn’t using his family-friendly movie as a perch for LGBTQ2S+ causes. Owen Wilson’s character “Jedediah,” for instance, was a cowboy…not a “Brokeback Mountain” cowboy, just a plain ol’ gun-slinging cowboy.
Not so with “Ridley Jones.”
The show’s creator, Chris Nee, made her intentions with the series known from the start, stating in 2021: “I am here to change the world. Or retire trying. I know what it is to be ‘othered.’ My job is to show the world as I want it to be.”
And how was Ms. Nee, an open lesbian, going to “change the world?”
By writing a genderless bison into the script, taking on the patriarchy one animated bovine at a time.
That’s where “Fred” makes an entrance.
Fred, you see, isn’t a male bison, as the name would suggest. Nope. Fred is “nonbinary.”
Fred also happens to be upset that her grandmother, voiced by singer and leftwing activist Cyndi Lauper, continues to use Fred’s birth name and female pronouns.
“Grandma doesn’t know I changed. She still thinks I’m her granddaughter instead of her grandFred…. I do want to tell her,” bison Fred explains.
So, in a recent episode, Fred, with encouragement from her pals, works up the nerve to confront Grandma Dottie over the progressive sin of misgendering her.
Here’s how that conversation goes down:
“My heart says that the way I feel most myself is to go by the name Fred. That’s because I’m nonbinary and Fred is the name that fits me best. And I also use ‘they’ and ‘them,’ because calling me a she or a he doesn’t feel right to me.”
I’m a “they,” grandma! Get it right, you old fuddy duddy!
As expected, Netflix received blowback for airing unfiltered LGBTQ+ propaganda under the guise of children’s entertainment.
“Livestock is non binary? Now I am confused,” commented one person, noting the absurd lengths progressives are willing to go in pushing their agenda.
“Netflix can take their woke garbage and shove it,” declared another viewer.
Reportedly, this wasn’t the first time Fred espoused genderqueer attitudes. A previous episode featured Fred’s rejecting formal dance attire that included a “ballgown and fancy hairdo,” opting instead to dress herself in a suit because male clothing made “them feel more like themself.”
The curveball came when “Ridley Jones” wasn’t renewed for a sixth season, possibly because Netflix genuinely believes consumers, particularly parents, really are telling them to “take their woke garbage and shove it.” While the previous five seasons will still be available for children to watch on the platform, apparently no new ones will be filmed.
This cancellation could be more evidence that Netflix is bucking the woke trend in corporate media, a refreshing sign that the purple-haired gender studies brigade, at least with one studio, is losing its influence.
It’s a decision, though, that isn’t sitting well with the show’s architect, Chris Nee, who is hot mad that Netflix will no longer support her dream of brainwashing little boys and girls with radical gender theories.
Nee fumed that it “doesn’t surprise me that Netflix has quietly dumped the first preschool show that has a non-binary character coming out,” adding that Fred’s big moment is a “roadmap” for “having someone else tell you they’ve changed their pronouns and/or name.”
The target market for “Ridley Jones,” if you’ll recall, is the preschool demographic. We’re talking about three-, four-, and five-year-olds.
Nee now must find another distributor for her scripts, and she probably will. Her IMDb page contains an impressive number of credits, including kid favorites “Thomas & Friends,” “Casper’s Scare School,” and, if you can believe it, “The Berenstain Bears.”
In addition, she’s racked up Peabody and Emmy awards for her work, which means she’ll easily land another writing gig that indulges her crusade to “change the world” through children’s content. After all, many of Nee’s peers in the industry share both her narcissism and ideological commitments.
For Christians, there are two immediate takeaways regarding the “Ridley Jones” fallout.
First, it cannot be overstated enough that we are engaged in an active clash of worldviews concerning the direction of the country, and even children aren’t off limits in this conflict. In fact, children appear to be the primary targets for the left, from the identity politics taught at government schools to the overt LGBTQ+ agitprop oozing out of Hollywood.
We must remember that television is not a values-neutral forum, meaning that there are always explicit or subtle messages being conferred upon the audience.
And that leads to the second takeaway, which is this: Parents must exert total control over what their children watch to ensure that their values are the ones being enforced in the home.
This step is a non-negotiable duty, especially for those who subscribe to biblical orthodoxy. As numerous scriptural references make clear — Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 11:19 — the impartation of godly values is the primary objective of parenthood.
The truth is that Netflix, Prime, Disney+, or any other streaming platform can offer wall-to-wall programming of non-binary bison and pansexual rhinos singing Sam Smith songs in satanic outfits, and it should never seep into our households.
Why?
Because we, as parents, should exercise autonomy over the remote.
“Full stop,” as the cool kids on Twitter like to say.
I don’t usually offer personal anecdotes on these pages, but I have four kids under the age of six, so I’ll briefly explain how my family chooses what our children watch.
My wife or I vet the shows beforehand.
Yes, I realize that sounds easy in principle, although if I’m being honest, screening material meant for toddlers isn’t exactly what we’d want to be doing when our kiddos are finally asleep. It’s time consuming, and we’re already stretched thin in the time department. There are dozens of other programs we’d rather watch with our free time, or just plop down in bed and call it a night.
But if we won’t do the screening, who will?
It can be hard to wrap our minds around the reality that there are people in powerful positions who are enthusiastic about ruining our kids’ innocence with transgender garbage. As a result, we might unintentionally let our guards down based on the fact that when we were kids “Gonzo” from the Muppet Babies wasn’t a cross-dresser like he is today.
Yet these people do exist, and they are indeed in powerful positions.
The Chris Neeses of the world are clearly obsessed with molding our children according to their vision for society, and they will not cease until they replace our values with their own.
Our commission as God-fearing parents is simple: Don’t let them.
Follow Jason on Twitter! @JasonMattera
Ready to dive deeper into the intersection of faith and policy? Head over to our Theology of Politics series page where we’ve published several long-form pieces that will help Christians navigate where their faith should direct them on political issues.
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