An Australian children’s entertainer faced backlash on social media for sharing a post challenging gender norms.
Emma Watkins, known better to her audience as Yellow Wiggle from the show The Wiggles, shared the post to her 100,000 follower today (17 May). It shows a photo of Lachlan Gillespie, the Purple Wiggle, holding a sign with the words ‘Boys can be Emma’.
While there has been some support, many piled into the comments criticizing the star.
One user said: ‘I have nothing against the LGBT community but plz plz don’t bring it into kids shows. God. My baby watch and love the wiggles, too young to be expose to this just saying. cause that’s how it starts [sic.]’.
Another added: ‘What?! Farewell Wiggles, it’s been fun, but no. Boys can’t be Emma.’
However, others rushed to defend the dancer. Australian comedian Em Rusciano shared the photo on her social media and said: ‘I couldn’t love this any harder if I tried. I love it so much I want Beyonce to adopt it and raise it in the manner it deserves!
‘Boys CAN BE Emma Wiggle!! Of course they can!!’
Others pointed out the different ways in which boys and girls are treated: ‘Isn’t it “funny” that when a girl dresses as Spider-Man, no one worries about it, they say oh she’s such a Tom boy and say nothing more.
‘A boy puts on Emma clothes or a Peppa pig tee shirt and everyone loses their mind.’
The Wiggles are famous dance troupe for children, originally dating back to 1991. Emma joined the troupe in 2012 as the first female member.
