Trying to head off a potential culture war kerfuffle, the powers that be at "Sesame Street" have issued a statement denying that Bert & Ernie are gay.
This was done because of an online petition that's been getting traction in the media. It seeks to have the longtime "Sesame Street" characters declare their relationship & marry in order to teach children tolerance. The Christian Science Monitor even checked to see if the marriage would be legal, and since Sesame Street seems to exist somewhere in New York City, the answer was yes.
In their statement, The Sesame Workshop reiterated that the characters are "good friends," and since they're puppets (i.e. not real) they do not have a sexual orientation. However, that statement actually seemed to open a whole other can of worms.
Here's the online petition that got this whole thing rolling.
"In this horrific age of LGBT kids taking their own lives, they need to know that they ARE BEAUTIFUL and their lives are worth living. Aside from those that are committing suicide, the bullies that facilitate these tragedies need to learn that homophobia is NOT okay. They need to know that acceptance of their fellow human beings would indeed plant a seed of peace that will reverberate throughout the world. We are not asking that Sesame Street do anything crude or disrespectful. Only that they allow Bert & Ernie to marry or even add a transgender character to the show. It can be done in a tasteful way. Let us teach tolerance of those that are different. Let Sesame Street and PBS Kids be a big part in saving many worthy lives."
However, the idea that Bert & Ernie are gay is built almost entirely on stereotypes.
When he's wasn't hanging out with Osama bin Laden, Bert shares an apartment and bedroom with Ernie (although, they do have separate beds). They never talk about women, they're never seen with any female puppet love interests and (if your mind wants to actually go there & imagine Muppet sex, see Rule 34) there's enough slash fiction that characterizes their arguments as foreplay.
The Sesame Workshop says Bert & Ernie are not supposed to be an example of a sexual relationship, but a Muppet version of "The Odd Couple."
From Time:
"Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics...they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."
— STATEMENT on Sesame Workshop's Facebook page, in response to an online petition calling for Bert and Ernie to get married
But if Muppets don't have a sexual orientation, what exactly is
Kermit the Frog and
Miss Piggy's relationship supposed to be? ... Other than a trans-species, quasi-stalking, semi-abusive relationship?
The comments over at NPR and Entertainment Weekly are interesting. The reaction seems to be split. Most think the whole issue is silly, and the fact that "Sesame Street" had to remind people in their statement that Muppets aren't real tells you everything you need to know about how silly it is.
On the other hand, there are some in the comments who see this as a reflection of intolerance to gay characters: "It's profoundly disturbing that Americans find it more acceptable, when portraying fictional, human-like characters, to strip them of all sexuality than to suggest that they are homosexual."