Ms. Rachel Is 'Standing Strong' In Response To Pride Video Backlash
Ms. Rachel defended her faith and 'Happy Pride' message amidst far right calls to boycott her show.
If you’re sharing a home with people under the age of 4, you’re likely familiar with the infectious smile and sing-song voice of Ms. Rachel. Rachel Griffin Accurso is a teacher and content creator with 10 million subscribers to her YouTube channel, where she publishes fun and educational videos that babies, toddlers, and their happy parents cannot get enough of.
Oddly enough, she’s been thrust into controversy by online trolls and forced to defend her seemingly innocuous position on being welcoming to all families.
On June 1st, Ms. Rachel kicked off Pride Month by posting a short video to her Instagram and TikTok. The backlash to her positive message was not far behind.
In a green jumper, rainbow polo, and signature pink headband, Ms. Rachel says, “Happy Pride to all of our wonderful families and friends! This month and every month, I celebrate you! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re exactly who you are.”
No stranger to the less loving side of the internet, Ms. Rachel didn’t overlook those who might be disturbed by her inclusivity. “To those who are going to comment they can’t watch the show anymore because of this support, no worries and much love your way.”
“God bless. I am not chasing fame or views. I’m standing strong in love.”
Unfortunately, her foresight did not stop far right figureheads from seizing any opportunity to throw a fit over their invented culture wars. Self-described “theocratic fascist,” Matt Walsh, reposted the video on X calling the video, “A message to conservative parents. She doesn’t want your business. You should respond accordingly.”
The anti-LGBTQ sect quickly glommed on to Walsh’s bad faith interpretation, but Ms. Rachel stands firm in her beliefs. June 3rd, she posted another video, reiterating her philosophy.
She addresses her use of the term, ‘God bless.’
“I’ve shared prayers on here and said God Bless and that’s because my faith is really important to me. And it’s also one reason why I love every neighbor.”
She goes on to reference Matthew 22 from the bible, where Jesus says the most important commandments are to love God and love your neighbor.
“So yes, everyone belongs, everyone’s welcome, everyone is treated with empathy and respect. It doesn’t say ‘love every neighbor except...’”
With two master’s degrees in education, Ms. Rachel understands the value of repetition. She summarizes her position one more time.
“There are so many reasons I stand strong in love. I stand with everyone. That’s who I am. And the ‘love back’ and ‘God bless if you disagree’ is genuine.”
Ms. Rachel’s popularity with children and parents continues to soar despite continued attempts to make her commitment to child development contentious.
In 2023 she took a social media break after an onslaught of hurtful videos and comments in response to featuring a non-binary co-star on her channel. Earlier this year, Ms. Rachel again became a target of internet bullying when she launched a fundraiser for children in several conflict zones, including Gaza.
If anything, the noisy commentary of those condemning Ms. Rachel’s consistent message of love and tolerance has only expanded her audience beyond the sandbox crowd. The more we hear from her, the more it seems like it’s not just littles who can learn from Ms. Rachel.
