Children's TV show Transformers: EarthSpark has sparked controversy by introducing a new non-binary character.
The animation series features a robot called Nightshade who says the word "he or she just doesn't fit who I am" and asks other characters to use "they/them" instead. The machine adds that the term "non-binary" is a "wonderful word for a wonderful experience."
The episode comes amid an increasingly bitter social debate about the rights of transgender and non-binary people, particularly relating to their inclusion in women's sports and women-only spaces. Companies and brands who have advocated for the LGBTQ+ community in recent weeks have been hit by a pushback, such as beer brand Bud Light which was engulfed in a social media firestorm due to a promotion it ran with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney to celebrate her one-year anniversary as a woman. The company was rocked by a huge backlash, which saw its share price plunge amid reports of a boycott by customers.