'Sesame Street' Welcomes A Gay Couple To The Block

Sesame Street made history and rang in Pride month by reminding their audience that family is an all-inclusive term. In the episode “Family Day”, the beloved children series introduced married couple Dave, Frank, and their daughter Mia. 

In the episode, the neighborhood is preparing for a special Family Day party, but Big Bird's feeling a little down because he wishes his Granny was there — only to discover at the last moment that, surprise, she was coming to the party all along. It's a sweet episode that emphasizes the love of a family. But what made it a landmark moment in the long-running series' history is that also in attendance was Dave (Chris Costa, as the brother of Nina, the street’s bike store owner), his husband Frank (Alex Weisman), and their daughter Mia (Olivia Perez).

Alan Muraoka, who also stars on the series as the owner of Hopper’s Store, directed the episode and took to his social media to express how thrilled he was to be a part of such a history-making moment. “Sesame Street has always been a welcoming place of diversity and inclusion,” he wrote. “I am so honored and humbled to have co-directed this important and milestone episode. Love is love, and we are so happy to add this special family to our Sesame family. Happy Pride to all!” 

“Family Day” is certainly, as Muraoka said, a landmark for the series in terms of LGBTQ inclusivity, but it's not the first time that Sesame Street has made strides in that direction. During a “Letter of the Day” segment in 2017, the letter was “F - for family” and featured one girl who said “I love my moms,” and then got kissed by both of her moms. That same year, the Father’s Day episode made a point to be inclusive by referencing children who have “two dads.” 

Watch the video of Dave, Frank, and Mia below.