Everyone loves Bluey - but the cartoon dog's color has caused some confusion with viewers around gender.
Summary
- Bluey is a girl and Bingo (her sibling) is also a girl, despite the confusion caused by their different coloring.
- The coloring of the dogs in Bluey does not correspond to their gender, but rather reflects the coat colors of Australian cattle dogs.
- Bluey's gender may not matter to the show's premise, but the choice to make both Bluey and Bingo girls challenges outdated color/gender associations.
Bluey is the surprise cultural phenomenon of a kids' show that centers around a family of heelers - but the coloring of the beloved dogs has led to some confusion around Bluey's gender. The Australian series is three seasons long (so far), and since 2018 has been charming audiences with the stories of the titular Bluey and family. Bluey and Bingo are children, with Mum (Chilli) and Dad (Bandit) living in Brisbane and exploring the world together. The show managed to blend child-friendly humor with lots of bigger questions about connection with family and friends, finding their place in the world, and of course, growing up.
While Bluey is an Australian show, it became available on Disney + in January 2020, allowing families all over the world to watch. And while many of the kids' shows on the streaming service are squarely aimed at younger viewers, Bluey is one that adults can thoroughly enjoy as well. And while the question of gender shouldn't be overly important to a family of cartoon dogs, the coloring of the animals has led to occasion confusion - so is Bluey actually a girl or a boy?
Are Bluey And Bingo Boys Or Girls?
Bluey is a girl, and Bingo (her younger sibling) is also a girl, despite the differences in coloring that often lead to the confusion. Of the family, two of the dogs are a reddish-brown (Bingo and Chilli), and two are blue (Bluey and Bandit). However, the coloring of the dogs does not correspond to gender. Instead, they correspond to the coat colors of Australian cattle dogs in real life, which can be blue/grey or red, with unique color patterns. The rest of the Heeler family on the show also have coat colors that are unrelated to gender. Grandpa Heeler has a coat that is shades of darker grey and black, while Stripe is predominantly blue, with reddish stripes around his ear.
Despite this, some viewers assume that Bluey is a boy, because we generally associate the color blue with boys and pink with girls. Because Chilli has a coat that is closer to pink, and Bandit's is blue, it's easy to see why viewers would assume that the parents' colors relate to their gender. In addition, at times when Bluey is praised with phrases like 'good work' or 'good job', it can sound a little like 'good boy' to those who are less familiar with Australian accents. However, Bluey is most assuredly a girl.
Why Bluey's Gender Matters
On the surface, whether Bluey is a boy or a girl doesn't really matter - the show is, at its heart, about children navigating the world and their families, and it is just as funny and heartwarming if Bluey is a boy. However, the creative choice to make both Bluey and Bingo girls also emphasizes positive messages for kids. By having characters who are red/brown and blue, but refusing to have those colors correlate to gender, Bluey helps to challenge the outdated ideas of color/gender associations - without having to address it outright. It's just one of the less obvious positive messages that kids can take away from this incredibly wholesome show.
