Stop Hiding LGBTQ Content from Parents

Every time a new children's movie or TV show is released, parents scramble to find out what's in it.

"Does this movie include a gay kiss?" "Is my toddler’s favorite show introducing a transgender character?" "Will this season of a beloved cartoon feature same-sex parents?"

These aren’t just passing concerns. Every parent and grandparent has the right to know exactly what their children will be exposed to before they press play.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and its rating partner, Classification and Rating Administration (CARA), claim to help parents make informed decisions. Yet, while they warn about mild violence, crude humor, and even "mild peril," they refuse to disclose LGBTQ content in children’s programming.

That is not transparency. That is deception.While they warn about mild violence, crude humor, and even "mild peril," they refuse to disclose LGBTQ content in children’s programming.

LGBTQ content is not benign—it is ideological, intentional, and controversial.

When rumors swirl about LGBTQ content in children's media, parents are left guessing—because MPA and CARA refuse to give clear warnings. We shouldn’t have to rely on internet speculation or social media rumors to decide whether a show aligns with our family values.

For months, we attempted to contact CARA, the supposed independent rating board, to discuss this issue. We called every phone number associated with them. Nothing worked. The CARA association directory routes to another company. Even when we contacted the MPA in Washington, D.C., after several weeks of hunting, they couldn’t provide a working CARA number.

Eventually, CARA responded to an email—but instead of engaging in a discussion, they flatly refused to consider adding LGBTQ+ content warnings. They claimed their duty is to "keep parents informed while also preventing censorship and protecting the First Amendment rights and creative freedoms of filmmakers.."

That’s a deliberate perversion of the Constitution.

They have no problem warning parents about brand placements, slapstick humor, or name-calling. Yet, when it comes to controversial LGBTQ+ content, they claim such disclosure would impede on the rights of the content creators.

CARA, the MPA, and children's programming creators are twisting the First Amendment to strip parents of their rights. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and its rating administration, CARA, argue that adding an LGBTQ content warning would be "censorship." But this is a deliberate distortion of the truth.

The First Amendment protects creators from government suppression—it does not grant them the right to bypass parents and force controversial content into children’s entertainment without warning.

Parental rights are not censorship. Parental rights are a responsibility. Parents have the right—and the duty—to decide what their children watch. That’s why movie ratings exist in the first place. But if CARA and the MPA refuse to warn us about LGBTQ content in kids' programming, then what’s the point of ratings at all?

They want it both ways. They claim content ratings help parents make informed choices—yet they refuse to provide full transparency when it comes to LGBTQ content.

Without transparency on these complex and controversial issues, media outlets are actively stripping parents of their rights—deciding for them what is appropriate for their children. This is not just negligence—it is an intentional manipulation to undermine parental authority and eliminate informed choice.

That is not transparency- it's manipulation. Parents must have the right to make informed choices. That is not censorship. That is parenting.

MPA & CARA must add an LGBTQ content warning—just like they do for every other sensitive topic.

Parents deserve full transparency—no more deception, no more excuses. Demand an LGBTQ content warning now.