ABC journalist criticises Bluey cartoon for lack of diversity

Beloved kids show Bluey has copped a serve for failing to represent “disabled, queer, poor and gender diverse dog families”.

Australia’s favourite blue heeler is under attack – for real life!

Bluey, the ABC’s beloved kids cartoon show about a family of pups living in the Brisbane ‘burbs has copped a serve from within the national broadcaster for not being diverse enough.

Presumably distressed at the lack of cockalier spaniels and Jack Russell-beagle crosses, ABC journalist Beverley Wang has penned a tribute of sorts to the show on Aunty’s “Everyday Life” website, hitting out at the show for its lack of “representation.”

“My question is this: Can Bluey be more representative? (And yes, I’m aware that Bluey’s Border Collie pal Mackenzie is from New Zealand.)

Are these dogs really diverse enough? Why is there no German shepherd?

ABC cartoon Bluey has come under fire for its lack of representation.

“As a parent of colour, I am always conscious of the presence — or absence — of diverse representation in kids’ pop culture, what it means for children and the conversations we have around that. I sincerely believe you don’t have to be ‘Other’ to think about this too.

“We live in a world where the majority of main characters on children’s television are white; where there are more animals than people of colour protagonists populating the pages of children’s books.

“Where are the disabled, queer, poor, gender diverse, dogs of colour and single-parent dog families in Bluey’s Brisbane? If they’re in the background, let them come forward. (Maynard, voiced by Sean Choolburra, I’m looking at you.)”

While it is not clear how exactly a show about dogs – even loveable talking ones – should be more diverse, or how gender diversity could be represented in the canine community, Evan Mulholland, Director of Communications at the Institute of Public Affairs was not impressed.

“This is the same old tired identity politics we’ve come to expect from the ABC,” he said.

“Seriously, it’s a dog.”

“The fact that the ABC sees a children’s program about a dog through the lens of race, class and gender shows just how out of touch they are with mainstream Australians.”

Originally published as ABC journalist criticises Bluey cartoon for lack of diversity