7 Cartoons Have Tragically Been Banned From Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon And Disney XD Africa Due To Homosexual (Or Gay) Behaviour (And Violent Language)

The outrages reasons are now surfacing as to why Ezekiel Mutua, the censorship tsar of Kenya's censorship board, last week abruptly banned 7 cartoons on Nickelodeon (DStv 305), Disney XD (DStv 304) and Cartoon Network (DStv 301) for being homosexual (gay).

The bizarre reasons provided by Kenya's Film Classification Board (KFCB) it seemingly took straight from the internet without having actually watched and screened the various kids cartoons, are mind-bogglingly insane and shockingly unbelievable.

Ezekiel Mutua, KFCB CEO, told MultiChoice the 7 cartoons must be off the air on the DStv and GOtv satellite pay-TV platforms over seemingly foolish reasons, ranging from one character "who has a dick for a head", to two characters who go on an (unseen) "implied romantic vacation".

While on a superficial level Kenya's censorship and banning of kids cartoons might seem silly, it has systemic and operational real-world consequences for South African and African TV viewers far beyond the borders of the East African country.

Since channel distributors often only has one TV channel broadcast feed for Africa, a ban of content on a channel in one country, like Kenya or Nigeria - that a channel distributor then must agree to - means one of two things.

Either the whole channel must be completely blocked and be made unavailable in the affected country, or the content deemed offensive on the TV channel must be removed from the linear broadcast schedule.

Since we share one similar channel feed for more than one country, this means that the content is taken away not just from viewers in the country affected, but from millions of DStv subscribers right across several African countries, including South Africa.

The 7 cartoons are now abruptly banned, with the KFCB's shocking censorship that is creating problems for not just MultiChoice and DStv, but also the channel and content providers Walt Disney Africa, Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa) and Turner Broadcasting EMEA that respectively run and programme the Disney XD, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network channels.

Some of the cartoons are not even airing anymore and ended years ago - for instance the now-banned The Legend of Korra that finished its run in 2014 (it would have aired on NickToons by now).

After responding to a media enquiry, the KFCB says the 7 cartoons - Loud House, The Legend of Korra, Hey Arnold, Clarence, Steven Universe, Adventure Time and Star vs the Forces of Evil are TV children programmes "with homosexual themes".

The KFCB says it doesn't matter that the shows don't include or show any overt on-screen "gayness".

If a show's creator said a character is gay - in the way that JR Rowling after the conclusion of the Harry Potter series said that Prof Dumbledore is gay - that is enough for Kenya's censors to order a ban on a kids cartoon on MultiChoice's DStv platform.

The KFCB says its "investigations focused on both current and previous programmes that are not suitable for children.

The KFCB - that said it banned the cartoons because it believes that the Nickelodeon, Disney XD and Cartoon Network shows "are intended to introduce children to deviant behaviour".

The KFCB says Kenya's constitution "only recognizes marriage between people of the opposite sex. From these references to the Kenya Constitution 2010, it is clear that homosexuality is not part of the culture, national values and the concept of a family."

"Further, it is important to note that South Africa is the only African country that recognizes same sex marriages. The Kenyan government has a responsibility to protect children against harmful exposure to negative media content and this is what the KFCB is doing as part of its mandate."

The KFCB provided the following reasons for why it banned each of the 7 cartoons on Nickelodeon, Disney XD and Cartoon Network:

The Loud House

The KFCB is so uninformed that it missed the announcement of self-censorship by VIMN Africa in mid-2016 when Viacom International "assured" DStv subscribers that it won't be broadcasting on television anywhere in Africa the "Overnight Success" episode on the Nickelodeon channel featuring the flash-appearance of two gay dads.

The KFCB has now banned the Loud House series over an episode that was never even broadcast in Kenya in the first place.

Star vs the Forces of Evil

KFCB would ban a cartoon that couldn't possibly have seen yet. Disney XD just started showing the second season of the show on the channel across Africa and is now at episode 8. It will be quite a while before episode 20, "Just Friends", makes it to actual TV screens that does contain a fleeting kiss - if you know where to pause and look closely in the background.

Legend of Korra

The KFCB decided to ban The Legend of Korra since the creator, after the conclusion of the show in 2014, said that two characters are lesbian. Yet nothing romantic during the duration of the show was ever shown on-screen.

Legend of Korra is banned although it isn't even showing on Nickelodeon currently.

Adventure Time

The KFCB decided to ban Adventure Time on fake reasons and alleges that "the creator said the two main characters are in a gay relationship".

Not only are Princess Bubblegum and Marceline not the main characters as the KFCB alleges, but the creator, Pendleton Ward, has never said anything to that effect ever.

The closest is actress Olivia Olsen voicing the character of Marceline, at a book signing, who said that in her personal opinion Marceline is likely lesbian but that the show will never venture into that territory since "in some countries where the show airs, it's sort of illegal".

Steven Universe

The KFCB found a correct quote from an interview with the website Movie Pilot with the show's creator. Ruby and Sapphire are indeed lesbians, according to the show's creator, but viewers will have to watch the show with that specific subtext to see that.

The KFCB however seems to read a lot of fanfiction. Is Pearl and Rose gay? The creator hasn't confirmed or mentioned anything.

Gravity Falls

Explaining why it banned this cartoon, the KFCB again lies and says a character calls someone "bitch". Nobody says this to another character and the word is never spoken.

What happens is that a character called Grunkle Stan once says "son of a ..." before the scene cuts away.

The KFCB lies when it says the characters watch porn. It's never happened. The show also finished in 2016 already. Like The Legend of Korra, the show's creator, after the conclusion of the series, said Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durand are gay, although its never ever mentioned or explored in the show.

Hey Arnold

The KFCB says "Arnold is taught the wonders of sexual stamina and given stories about sex". Nowhere in the series does that ever happening.

As proof of these and other simply not there things, the KFCB seems to have found a website that tries to find so-called "dirty jokes" in the cartoon.

The KFCB says Arnold's grandpa "had a dick for a head – head is in the shape of a penis and somewhere in the scene there is a poster written 'try my sausage".

It's real, definitive proof according to the KFCB that Hey Arnold isn't meant for children.

Luckily Hey Arnold isn't even on Nickelodeon currently but was on NickToons until this whole thing happened, so the KFCB didn't have to bother.

Special thinks to TV with Thinus

Welcome To Boomerang, Home Of The Cartoon Superstars

Boomerang (DStv 302) is Turner's global, youth targeted network, home to the Cartoon Superstars. Lively, amusing, trustworthy and optimistic. Boomerang offers an exciting mix of light-hearted and fun family favourite cartoons that speak to audiences from one generation to the next. While Boomerang remains faithful to its brand DNA. It renews its content to remain relevant and engaging for both existing and new audiences alike. In the first half of 2016, many exciting new shows such as Masha and The Bear, Zig & Sharko and Bunnicula were launched, and the second half of 2016 looks just as exciting with shows like Grizzly and the Lemmings and Mr. Bean in action launching later in the year.

The Family Co-Viewing Reference

Second most viewed kids channel, Boomerang boosts on average of 2.7 million viewers every month.

Amongst the channel's Cartoon Superstars, The Tom & Jerry Show was awarded Best Character and Cartoon Show by the Generation Next 2016 panel, proving that Boomerang is still relevant and top-of-mind when it comes to the youth. The channel's strategy to offer its viewers their favourite classic cartoons but also a line-up of new franchises, drives Boomerang to outperform its previous results with 14% growth, year-to-date, and 8% increase in share of voice, year to date.

Zig & Sharko

Surfing on Boomerang's alliance with slapstick humor, and hilarious series, Zig & Sharko, launched in April 2016.

Produced by Xilam, the studios behind the wildly popular Oggy and the Cockroaches, the show follows Zig, a starving hyena, who lives on a desert island, with one obsessive goal: to devour the most delicious thing he has ever seen - the mermaids m sitting on the rock at bay, in the lagoon.

Since the shows debut in Africa, Zig & Sharko are now ranking number one in its timeslot with an increase of 84% year on year!

Boomerang is proud to announce its partnership with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), in a mission to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature.

To kick-start the partnership, Boomerang will celebrated International Shark Day on 14 July 2016 at 18:40 CAT with its most famous ''shark'', as the channel launched two new episodes of Zig & Sharko.

As part of the partnership, Boomerang would not only like to create awareness for the protection of sharks and the oceans, but also urge all Boomerang fans to visit wwfsassi.co.za to learn more about these species.

New episodes commenced in July 2016 13*22 min

Bunnicula

Bunnicula is the latest creation from the Warner Bros. Studios. This animated comedy is based on the popular novel with the same name by James Howe and follows the adventures of Bunnicula, the vampire rabbit who drinks vegetable juice. When thirteen year-old Mina finds Bunnicula locked away in the cellar of her new home in New Orleans, she adopts him as her third pet. Bunnicula is thrilled to have someone who loves him but cohabiting with two other pets, who are afraid of the paranormal trouble he attracts, can be tricky...

Launched in June 2016

New Episodes Coming In October 2016

20*22 min

Masha and the Bear

With a modern computer-generated look, the show follows the adventures of a little girl named Masha and her friend, The Bear, who always keeps her from disasters. Masha and the Bear, a kind-hearted comedy is a metaphor showcasing how children interact with the big world, and how an adult's guidance and aid is crucial when addressing and dealing with this difficult task. This lovely cartoon is a hit for families around the globe, due to its smart ability to entertain both children and parents alike.

With more young girls watching Masha and the Bear, this program has proven to be a hit amongst this segment, achieving a +77% increase share with 4-14 year old girls since the launch in January.

Season 1:

52*7 min

The Jungle Bunch

The colourful, and full of laughs production follows the exciting adventures of a quirky band of animals that fight against injustice in a beautiful jungle-like setting. So whether it's evil monkeys stealing food or hippos terrorizing their jungle friends, you can be rest assured that the unusual, get highly effective Jungle Bunch will dive head first into action! The show is produced by Studio Hari, and is based on the successful movie that shares their same name. This beautifully animated series has won an International Emmy Award and is airing in 180 territories, exclusively on Boomerang in Africa.

New episodes commence from August 2016

26*11 min

Oddbods

There's a little odd in everybody! The Oddbods each have personalities as distinct as their furry suits. No two are alike and when you put them together be prepared for some odd fun! Whatever the situation, you can be rest assured that each Oddbod will approach it in a very unusual manner. The show is a laughter, destruction and drama - they bring humor and laughter to anything and everything.

New episodes in full 22 min commenced in July 2016

20*22 min

Grizzly and the Lemmings

Grizzly and the Lemmings is a 'new classic', non-dialogue playful family comedy. The series follows the hilarious exchanges of Grizzly the Bear and a pesky tribe of Lemmings, as they attempt to co-exist in a forest ranger's house in the Canadian wilderness. This brand new show, launching exclusively on Boomerang in November, is the latest creation from the French production company, Studio Hari, the production from behind The Jungle Bunch.

New show premieres in November 2016 exclusively on Boomerang

26*7 min

Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

Rowan Atkinson's hilarious character, Mr. Bean, has been running and blundering around Boomerang for eveyone's enjoyment in the series produced by Tiger Aspect Studios in collaboration with the British actor. The animated series has been well received on the African continent and in May 2016, Mr. Bean's new episode ranked number one in its timeslot with an increase of 97% year on year.

New episodes commence in August 2016

13*22 min

Mr. Bean in Action

In 2016, Boomerang will leave even more room for hilarious disaster as the original live-action series will be invading the small screen: Rowan Atkinson himself is making his way to the channel in September 2016.

New shows premieres in September 2016 right here on Boomerang.

14*22 min

The Tom and Jerry Show

The Tom and Jerry Show the channel's most loved characters is Boomerang's number one rated show!

The iconic cat and mouse rivals star in The Tom and Jerry Show, a fresh, new take on the classic series. Preserving the look, characters and the sensibility of the original cartoon, the all-new series supports a brightly coloured, high-definition lens on the madcap slapstick and never-ending battle that has made Tom and Jerry two of the most famous and beloved characters of all time.

New episodes commence in October 2016

13*22 min

How Cartoon Network Died And Rouse From The Grave

Cartoon Network was the perfect destination to be for the entire family offering the best in family programs for girls and boys. Elected as the number one kids channel for the entire family.

List of programmes which no longer air on the channel in some regions:

Dexter Laboratory

Ed Edd'n Eddy

The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy

Courage the cowardly dog

Codename Kids Next Door

The Cramp Twins

Evil Con Carne

Chop Socky Chocks

Skunk Fu

The Powerpuff Girls (1996)

My gym partners a monkey

George of the Jungle

I Am Weasel

Hero 108

Teen Titans

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack

Johnny Bravo

Foster's Home for Imagionary Friends

Squirrel Boy

Symbionic Titans

Camp Lazlo

Chowder

Ben 10 (2004)

Samurai Jack

Megas XLR

Class of 3000

Puffy Amiyumi

Gadget Boy

Robotboy

Total Drama Island

The life and time of Juniper Lee

Cow & Chicken

Generator Rex

Total Drama Action

In 2010 Cartoon Network rebranded and 2012-2013 started afresh by cancelling some of their beloved series and focus on new and enriching series which share interest in more boys and few girls. At that time all those who watched Cartoon Network years ago became teens and adults that mourn over the channel while some still watch the channel often like me and keep up-to-date with what's hip and happening.

List of a few programs currently airs:

Mixels Shorts

Adventure Time

Supernoobs

Regular Show

We Bare Bears

Nexo Knights

Total Drama World Tour (TDWT)-onwards franchise

Mighty Magiswords Shorts

The Amazing World of Gumball

Uncle Grandpa

Ninjago Masters Of Spinjitzu

Steven Universe

Clarence

Ben 10 (2017)

The Powerpuff Girls (2016)

Justice League Action

Teen Titans GO!

The good thing about this tragedy is that Cartoon Network opened up to a whole new audience and got them to feel the magic of Cartoon Network and the opportunities the channel holds and the imagination kids from around the world helt.

Apologize to those who feel offended by this article.

In loving memory of these part of Cartoon Network