A kids’ show makes history with the first non-binary character in a decade-old franchise

By now, most people are likely familiar with Paw Patrol. It’s a children’s TV show, yes, but any adult who interacts with kids on a semi-regular basis has heard about or seen the famous puppers around. It’s impossible to miss them; they’re on shirts, beach towels, pajamas, and most importantly, at the top of streaming charts. What we have never seen in the franchise’s history, though, is a single non-binary character. Well, at least until now.

Paw Patrol history was made recently, when the animated series’ spin-off, Rubble & Crew, aired the 17th episode of its first season, titled “The Crew Builds an Observatory.” The first segment of the episode included a non-binary character, the first in the entire franchise since Paw Patrol first aired in 2013. It was about time.

That said, anyone who watched the episode is likely to have missed this key detail, as it’s impossible to tell just from a character’s design that they’re non-binary and there was no mention of their pronouns. However, one of the show’s writers, Lindz Amer, made sure to celebrate the occasion on social media and confirm the character’s identity. With that in mind, let’s meet the latest addition to the show.

Who is the non-binary character in Rubble & Crew?

The first non-binary character in the Paw Patrol universe is named River. They’re a teenager who has recently moved to the still-growing city of Builder Cove with their family. Sadly, for now, not much else is known about the character, but they clearly have a knack for skateboarding and greatly enjoy taking pictures.

River is voiced by Chinese-Canadian star Cihang Ma, who is also a non-binary person. Unfortunately, because River has only recently joined the franchise, they’re not involved in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. If they were, it would mean an even bigger win for non-binary representation in children’s media, especially considering that the film will be part of the next Barbenheimer, which is shaping up to become a box-office success. Granted, it almost definitely won’t even come close to being on the same level as Barbie — that seems impossible right now — but going to the theater for a double feature is always a fun time. Plus, children’s movies always make bank.

All that aside, we hope to see more of River in the franchise’s future. And while they’re at it, Paw Patrol writers could take this moment to throw some more LGBTQ+ characters into the mix. Just saying.