When the pandemic hit Toronto, I never would?ve guessed that what would keep my family healthy would be a life-saving vaccine and a nightly ritual of watching cartoons. The episodic nature of television has given my little trio the chance at daily do-overs. The evening meet-ups on the couch together have given us the space to redact ill-chosen words that might have been used throughout the day during the stressful hours of online school. Each animated season is a fresh start to contrast the pandemic?s ongoingness. And what watching these shows has given me personally is something I didn?t even know I needed?hope.
Two episodes a night of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, or Voltron: Legendary Defender, or Carmen Sandiego or Centaurworld, watched through an anti-racist feminist lens, has helped me grow as a mother and a teacher. And I?m not alone in my adult appreciation for these shows. With its celebration of 2SLGBTQ+ relationships, She-Ra won GLAAD awards in both 2020 and 2021 for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming. The presentations of diverse family structures are lauded by fans of both Carmen Sandiego and Voltron, where same-sex relationships are woven into the storytelling instead of being used as plot devices. The thematic complexities of Centaurworld exemplify the power of fantastical storytelling. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is the story of Adora, a soldier on the planet of Etheria, who finds a magical sword and with it becomes the great champion She...