There is a bit of a fight going on over the sexuality of puppets. Yes, seriously, this is a thing.
Bert and Ernie are more than just friends….or maybe they aren’t. In an interview, a longtime writer for the popular children’s television program, Sesame Street, says that he always thought of Bert and Ernie as more than friends.
According to a new interview, Mark Saltzman who wrote for the program from 1984-1998, said the following answering what most people had already suspected, that the popular characters were written, in fact, as homosexuals:
And I always felt that without a huge agenda, when I was writing Bert & Ernie, they were. I didn’t have any other way to contextualize them. The other thing was, more than one person referred to Arnie & I as “Bert & Ernie.”
However, Sesame Street says not so fact, they put out a statement challenging Saltzman’s assumption about Bert and Ernie.
As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with people that are different from them. Even though that are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets do) they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.
Please see our statement below regarding Bert and Ernie. pic.twitter.com/6r2j0XrKYu
— Sesame Workshop (@SesameWorkshop) September 18, 2018
So, which is it? Are Bert and Ernie gay or not? Do they share more than just the same living place? Should anybody really care because, you know, they are muppets? That’s probably the correct answer, but for whatever reason, people really appear to be invested in the sexuality of inanimate objects…like puppets.
So, basically Muppets possess every single human trait except the ability to love each other in a romantic way?
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) September 18, 2018
Right, because Seame Street didn't show heterosexual muppets or human relationships at all! I'm not triggered by this, just all the backlash and "phew" posts. They straights are so threatened by homosexuality. So what if Bert and Ernie were partners? Que Sera, Sera!
— Tod(d)🌊 (@tattoofreakshow) September 18, 2018
Deeply, sorely, unbelievably disappointing statement. Absolutely reprehensible, you should be ashamed. You had an opportunity to teach children an actual lesson about people "different from themselves" and you not only dropped the ball, you spiked it & flipped LGBT kids the bird.
— Red Durkin (@RedIsDead) September 18, 2018
“They remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation”
Last I checked Elmo’s mom and dad are together, the count proposed to his lady friend, and Kermit and miss piggie have been together forever.
I guess what you meant was only Hetero muppets can have an orientation.. pic.twitter.com/Q18lwHadoM
— morticia muppet 🧛🏻♀️ (@VolatilePeony) September 18, 2018
What a missed opportunity to do some good in the world
— Gabby Revilla Lugo (@gabbyrevlugo) September 18, 2018