The animated gaystream: how streaming services, social media, adult fandom, and the visibility of creators have influenced representations of gender and sexuality in twenty-first century U.S. children’s animation

Since the 1990s, creators of American children’s animation have used varied strategies to include diverse, inclusive queer content in their series and films as new technologies have been introduced and attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community in American media have changed. This thesis argues that social media sites such as X and Tumblr as well as streaming services such as Netflix and HBOMax have shifted the dynamics between fans, creators and network. In so doing, it analyses the interactions between adult fans and creators of American children’s animation in ways that have been as of yet unexplored. The research is important because it acknowledges the significance of adult audiences and conservative commentators in influencing what portrayals of LGBTQIA+ identities and relationships are seen on American television. The thesis achieves this through the perspective of fan studies, primarily the work of Henry Jenkins. It compiles qualitative research from social media posts by users across X, Tumblr and other social media websites alongside textual analysis of animated series and films in the period 1993-2025. The research traces a developing history where creators utilised these new technologies and the support of fans to not only include queer content in American children’s animation, but also to expand the inclusivity, diversity and visibility of LGBTQIA+ representation. To an extent, creators have achieved their goals as successive series have built upon existing queer content using different techniques such as gaystreaming while streaming services have not only produced sequels to LGBTQIA+ inclusive animated series based on fan response, but have also aired new, diverse and inclusive animated series and films. Even as political contexts in America continue to alter the importance of both conservative and LGBTQIA+ groups to networks, this thesis has developed an understanding of how creators, LGBTQIA+ supportive audiences and conservative pressure groups influence network decisions.

Citation

Pointon, L. (2026) The animated gaystream: how streaming services, social media, adult fandom, and the visibility of creators have influenced representations of gender and sexuality in twenty-first century U.S. children’s animation. University of Wolverhampton. https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/626426

Publisher

University of Wolverhampton

URI

https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/626426

Type

Thesis or dissertation

Language

en

Description

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Collections

Theses and Dissertations