Sesame Street Sparks Pushback with Rainbow-Themed Pride Month Post
While many major companies and organizations are scaling back their Pride Month recognition, Sesame Street is doubling down. The social media accounts for the popular children’s show marked Pride Month with a rainbow-themed post and a concise message about the LGBT celebration: “On our street, everyone is welcome. Together, let’s build a world where every person and family feels loved and respected for who they are. Happy #PrideMonth!”
Not surprisingly, it quickly sparked a debate.
“Leave the children out of this,” one concerned fan wrote on Instagram.
“I love you guys,” another fan wrote, supportive of the message.
So far, though, Sesame Street stands as the lone voice among PBS’ popular children’s content acknowledging Pride Month -- a shift from last year, when the official PBS KIDS social media account shared a rainbow graphic with a brief message: “Love is for everyone. #PrideMonth.” PBS KIDS is thus far silent.
A lot has happened in 12 months. Americans elected Donald Trump, whose campaign spent millions on commercials criticizing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ position on transgender issues. Meanwhile, companies have grown increasingly hesitant to engage in the culture wars following high-profile backlash against brands like Bud Light and Target, both of which suffered major hits after being boycotted by conservatives.
“Big brands are pulling back on Pride merchandise and events this year,” a CNN story this week declared.
A new Gravity Research survey revealed that 39 percent of sampled U.S. companies are reducing Pride-related engagement in 2025 -- with 0 percent saying they have plans to increase engagement.
More than six in 10 (61 percent) company executives surveyed by Gravity Research cited the Trump administration as the main reason for rethinking Pride strategies.
Nordstrom, Gap and Kohl’s are among the companies that appear to have pulled back on their Pride Month celebrations, CNN found.
“It’s clear that the administration and their supporters are driving the change,” Luke Hartig, the president of Gravity Research, told CNN. “Companies are under increasing pressure not to engage and speak out on issues.”
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/sesame street
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published June 03, 2025.
