Controversy over robot using non-binary pronouns in Spanish cartoons

Controversy over robot using non-binary pronouns in Spanish cartoons

A tweet antiestéticaturing a clip from a children's series has sparked a heated debate in an online forum: in the scene, a robot character introduces itself using the non-binary pronoun "elle". The original post, shared by a critical user, accuses the State of "brainwashing children" with taxpayers' money and claims the goal is to "extinguish Europeans" through what they describe as gender ideology and non-binary identities. The reaction was immediate, with dozens of responses ranging from indignation and irony to analyses of children's programming.

Which series is it and what does the clip show?

According to several replies, the viral clip belongs to the animated production Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. In the scene, a robot asserts: "My pronoun is elle". No further context is provided in the material: there is no mention of the specific channel, time slot, or whether it was a linear broadcast or part of an on-demand catalog.

The majority reaction in the thread combines bewilderment and mockery. "What on earth is this?", summarizes one of the first messages. Another participant points out that children lack a filter: "Damn, don't kids say 'what the hell is this' when they see that? When I watched cartoons, I wanted to see action and fights."
The criticism is not limited to the content: several messages point out that the public broadcaster, RTVE, airs such products using public funds and that children's programming has long been including messages about climate change or nutrition.

Public spending and EU funds under scrutiny

The thread quickly shifts toward finances. Several messages claim that RTVE spends 2.5 million euros on advertising to justify the allocation of Next Generation EU funds, which amount to 120 million. It is also cited that the European Court of Auditors has detected "undue payments" by Spain involving EU funds and that Spain is the country with the most non-repayable grants assigned: 77,200 million.

The connection made by some participants is direct: if the public broadcaster receives European funds and these are allocated to controversial projects, promoting that content with public money ceases to be an editorial decision and becomes a contractual obligation. The full calculation, including the breakdown of awards and beneficiaries, is the type of material that does not appear in official press releases.

The parents' response: parental control and alternatives

Part of the thread does not discuss the ideology of the content, but rather the practical solution. "I have zero concern. I have done my job so well that my nine-year-old daughter is able to sound the alarm when she encounters any of this crap," writes one participant. Others go further: "My children can't watch this crap because I have the antenna unplugged and the RTVE app is not installed."

The most repeated alternative is the substitution of content: Greek and Roman mythology, Arthurian legends, and adapted classic tales. "I tell them stories from Rome and Greece. Mythology, even Germanic, and Arthurian legends. I have them recorded as audio," details one message. Television, several conclude, is obsolete: "Anyone who still lets their kids watch TV at this stage is an idiot."

The underlying debate: values, education, and rights

Not all messages move in the same direction. One participant introduces a legal argument: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes in Article 26.3 that "parents have a prior right to choose the type of education that shall be given to their children." The conclusion drawn is that while every family can educate according to their values, they cannot impose them on others.

Another message approaches the issue from the opposite angle: "Would you like those values to be imposed by Abascal? Would it be okay if it were Puigdemont?". The argument is that the concept of "values" is not objective or necessarily humanist, and that those who find them acceptable today may reject them tomorrow. At that point, the discussion shifts from cartoons to who decides what is broadcast on public television.

The context: children's programming already causing stir

Several messages recall that this is not an isolated case. A program on ClanTV (the children's channel of RTVE), Aprendemos en Clan, is mentioned, where children acted out segments about eating insects and climate change. "The look on my face when they started talking about eating insects and climate change with kids acting in the program," relates one participant. The recurring conclusion is that children's programming has been including content that goes beyond mere entertainment for some time.

The comparison with other eras is constant: "We grew up watching this, a premonition of what awaited us. More like Curro Jiménez, teaching us how to flee from the State."
Nostalgia for 80s and 90s television serves as a contrast, but also as an argument: if before adventure series were broadcast without explicit messages, now the message is the product.

What could happen to public children's programming

Pressure on RTVE is not new, but this episode adds an element: the link between European funds and editorial content. If the European Court of Auditors continues to detect irregularities, the public broadcaster could be forced to justify not only the expenditure but also the purpose of the funded projects.

The most likely scenario, judging by the evolution of the thread, is that the controversy will fade without changes to the schedule. Public television has a captive audience, and the protesting parents have already disconnected their antennas. The unanswered question is whether public money should finance content that a significant portion of taxpayers considers indoctrination. Given these circumstances, the situation is unlikely to resolve itself.