One of children’s favorite Muppets and a feminist icon, Jim Henson’s Miss Piggy character, is now officially on record as being pro-choice, after an MSNBC interviewer asked her point blank for her stance on abortion.
This year, Miss Piggy was chosen for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art’s First Award at the Brooklyn Museum, where she publicly proclaimed, “Moi is a feminist!”
“Today I have come to you as a tough woman, a proud feminist, an international star, a best-selling author, icon, diva … and now I have a Sackler Center First Award,” Miss Piggy said at the June 3 ceremony.
Miss Piggy’s long-time partner, Kermit the Frog, was also in attendance to see Miss Piggy receive her award.
Three days later, Miss Piggy appeared in an interview with MSNBC reporter Irin Carmon, with feminist activist Gloria Steinem also present. When Carmon asked Miss Piggy, “Are you pro-choice?” she responded, “I am pro – I am pro-everything.”
Why the TV journalist thought it appropriate to ask a stuffed character, created to entertain children, for her position on abortion is anybody’s guess.
Parents might find it surprising that the seemingly harmless television companion of their small children thinks that culling the population when children get in the way of adults’ pursuits is an acceptable moral position.
Those who have followed Miss Piggy through the years, on the other hand, might not be quite so taken aback. The pink patroness of the “me generation” was always presented as an eminently self-centered character who would not brook opposition or share center stage. What better image of the Planned Parenthood mantra of choice, even when “choice” means eliminating a helpless human infant?
In her interview, in fact, Carmon stressed that “the folks who gave her this award say that [Miss Piggy] just goes for what she wants, she pursues her dreams and she never apologizes.”
In “The Rundown with José Díaz-Balart,” the host asked Carmon about the “world class exclusive interview” with the “feminist icon.” Smiling, Carmon responded, “All I can [say] is it was a great honor to be flanked by two of my heroes growing up: Gloria Steinem and Miss Piggy.”
Miss Piggy, who starred in The Muppet Show, which ran from 1976 to 1981, as well as numerous films, joined other big-names like Sandra Day O’Connor, Toni Morrison, and Anita Hill in receiving the Sackler Center award.
In early 2004, The Walt Disney Company purchased the Muppets, originally owned by The Jim Henson Company.
The interview did not make it clear whether all pigs are pro-choice, but the most famous one is now on the record.
Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter @tdwilliamsrome.
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