My Essay on The Washington Post: “Why the New Peppa Pig Character Gives Me Hope”

Peppa PigMY PEPPA PIG ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED ON THE WASHINGTON POST!!!!!

Umm, can you tell just how excited I am, friends?!?!?!? The Washington Post is a BIG deal for me, ever since I saw All The President’s Men, so I’m beyond thrilled to share my second piece for their On Parenting section!! I got to write about Mandy Mouse, the new character in a wheelchair on British import Peppa Pig, and how ordinary her introduction was. Spoiler alert: That’s a GOOD thing! Disability representation is having a moment in 2019 and I’m here for it!

Peppa Pig is incredibly popular with the under-5 set, as I learned during my interviews with experts and parents. And for good reason! The show presents wonderful, relevant lessons for children, and the lessons are subtly woven into the plot instead of just stated outright. Surprisingly, it was Ms. Bear who gave me the idea to write about Mandy Mouse, and I’m so glad she did. Mandy was presented as just another new character, not a new character in a wheelchair. She talked about her wheelchair, but it never felt forced or out of step with the rest of the episode.

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, and I’m extra happy because the editors chose the headline I suggested, which rarely happens in the freelance writing business…

It’s essential that children with disabilities see themselves represented on their favorite TV shows, and it’s just as important that able-bodied children see these disabilities as well. Mandy Mouse gives me hope for the future. She gives me hope that the next generation won’t have to wonder why there aren’t characters like them on TV. She gives me hope that children won’t be afraid when they meet someone with a disability — that meeting them is, like on “Peppa Pig,” no big deal. She gives me hope that when it comes to inclusion, real, lasting change is possible.

Yes, seeing the person (er, mouse) instead of the disability. This is what inclusion is all about. On TV and in real life.

Peppa PigYou can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo

My Essay on The Washington Post: Sesame Street’s Missed Opportunity With Bert and Ernie

Bert and ErnieDid you hear about the kerfuffle surrounding Sesame Street and Bert and Ernie last week? I was super disappointed in Sesame Street’s response after the writer of Bert and Ernie said that he wrote the characters as a couple. The show basically said the two are just friends. The show had an opportunity to make a powerful statement and have a great teaching moment.

Well, I was so frustrated by the whole thing that I channeled all of my rage and anger into…

MY FIRST PIECE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST!!!!

After almost two years of trying to land a WaPo byline, I finally did it!! It’s been quite an exciting week!!! And, yes, I still feel like I’m dreaming…did this REALLY happen???

I sometimes think people have this idealized view of what writers do. Lest you think the life of a writer is all leisurely strolls through meadows waiting for the muse to strike, here’s a play-by-play of how my piece for The Washington Post came to be in less than 48 hours…

*Pitched the idea Tuesday afternoon
*Editor accepted Wednesday morning
*Wrote piece Wednesday morning
*Turned in piece Wednesday at noon
*Piece published Thursday morning

Seriously, though, it was ALL worth it. A byline in The Washington Post was my big writing goal for 2018. After multiple rejections from FOUR different sections of the newspaper, I was getting discouraged, but I’m so glad I kept pitching!! I felt so honored to write about a show that shaped my childhood. Sesame Street is all about learning and they could have taught children that family comes in a variety of forms, not just a man and a woman.

Here’s an excerpt of the piece, which has sent me down the YouTube rabbit hole of nostalgia ever since I wrote it…

One of the hallmarks of “Sesame Street” has been its ability to maintain its relevance despite being on the air for almost 50 years. It’s changed with the times, to bring in the news of the day and break it down in a way that children could understand. Whether they were tackling huge issues or some more nuanced aspect of everyday life, the puppets have been a great teaching tool. Children learn about their world through those puppets, which is why it’s so important that the residents of “Sesame Street” reflect the culture and time period. “Sesame Street” could have used this as an opportunity to teach children that families come in a variety of forms.

For children who have LGBTQ parents, this type of representation would be invaluable. They may not know anyone like them at school, but if they can look at the TV and say, “Bert and Ernie are just like my dads,” it would be incredibly validating.

Bert and Ernie Bert and ErnieYou can read the full piece here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me anytime at mellow1422@aol.com and let’s chat! And of course, feel free to share my essay on Facebook, Twitter or even your local refrigerator. If you share on Twitter, be sure to tag me @melissablake so we can connect! I can’t wait to hear from you! Love you all… xoxo