The pair’s sexual orientation has long been the subject of
scrutiny. They live together, work together and even bathe together; this has
led many to speculate that they may be in a long-term homosexual relationship.
On the heels of New York State’s recent gay marriage legislation, this petition
requests that Bert and Ernie “come out” publically. The petition, created by
Illinois resident Lair Scott, has received more than 5,000 signatures.
Bert and Ernie:
Shocking Gay Video:
In 2007, Sesame Workshop president and CEO, Gary Knell,
addressed the controversial double life that the Muppets continue to lead. "They
do not exist below the waist," said Knell. As the controversial petition gained
steam over the last week, the show’s creators addressed the petition on their Facebook:
“They [Bert and Ernie] remain puppets, and do not have a sexual
orientation." Yes, America, we are actually talking about this.
While Sesame Street has never shied away from teaching children
controversial and progressive messages to children, including topics like AIDS
and race, it seems clear that Bert and Ernie will not be making a pre-nuptial trip
to City Hall anytime soon. In response to the Facebook announcement, one
angered fan decried the hypocrisy of the program’s seeming bias toward
heterosexual relationships: “The Count has had several girlfriends, to name
just one example,” one Facebook fan said. Philandering is, evidently, is not the
taboo that same-sex marriage is.
In fact, this movement to promote Bert and Ernie’s
self-acceptance has prompted a backlash. A petition,
also on Change.org, now seeks to prevent the pair from marrying, although it
has not been as well received (at 103 signatures to date).
This is precisely the slippery slope that anti-gay marriage activists
had warned us about! If two men can marry, why can’t two foam and antron fleece
puppets? Can a man marry a puppet? Can a puppet marry a man?
If Jim Henson could have weighed in on this debate, I’m sure
he would set us all straight…
Is this a welcome distraction from the onset of the second
great depression, or do we have more pressing matters of public policy to talk
about?
Want to connect more with fellow Politic-Ologists? Join the
discussion over on My.Ology.com
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