10 Best Heartwarming Lessons South Park Ever Taught Us
7. Accepting Of All Sexual Preferences
South Park has come a very long way since its beginning, and throughout its run, the tongue-in-cheek commentary on how sexuality has been perceived in society has taken center stage (Mr Garrison might be the negative example to use).
In the first season episode "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride", Stan faces a dilemma of masculinity when he discovers his dog Sparky is a homosexual. Lamenting that he doesn't have a "butch" dog, Sparky runs away and finds sanctuary in Big Gay Al's Big Gay Animal Sanctuary.
When Stan finds Sparky and meets Big Gay Al, he is taken on a boat ride and has homosexuality laid out in front of him. The episode is far more progressive with its message than most "woke" shows in the last ten years, and Stan's story arc with accepting his dog (and homosexuality) is a comforting closer.
Whether or not young children watched the episode when it first aired and got the message at a first viewing is unclear, but the episode did resonate with gay audience members who struggled to explain their sexuality to friends, family and peers.