It's stuff like this that makes people like us look bad. I'm as in favour of gay rights as the next flaming homosexual, but for fuck sake guys... they're puppets! Just stop!
Change.org Petition Demands Legal Gay Marriage For Ernie and Bert
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
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I made an account just to post to this thread. I have to say, I completely support the idea of a gay marriage in Sesame Street. For one thing, this would greatly decrease homophobia. From my experiance, kids are mainly homophobic because they only learn about homosexuality when they're older, and thus see it as this strange thing that only freaks are into. At least, that's the reason for homophobic kids who don't have homophobic parents. And to the people who say ''They're puppets, they don't have sexuality,'' are you claiming that marriage is all about sex? Just because younger kids learn about gay people, that doesn't mean that they learn about sex.
I think the real reason the Sesame Street creators don't want Ernie and Bert as an openly gay couple is because they know that they'll lose thousands of viewers whose parents are idiot fundamentalists who are trying to keep their kids from learning about homosexuality for no real reason other than because their imaginary friend told them so.
I think the real reason the Sesame Street creators don't want Ernie and Bert as an openly gay couple is because they know that they'll lose thousands of viewers whose parents are idiot fundamentalists who are trying to keep their kids from learning about homosexuality for no real reason other than because their imaginary friend told them so.
I have a number of objections to this:
1) They're puppets.
2) You can teach children about acceptance and tolerance of other lifestyles without having to drag sexual orientation into it. I had many educational influences in my life, Sesame Street was one of them - and it taught me to accept gay people simply by teaching me that I should accept others for who they are, no matter what. It never had to come right out and say "THIS IS A GAY MAN. ACCEPT HIM! ACCEPT HIM!"
3) They're puppets.
4) Some parents are going to ban their kids from watching Sesame Street if there's anything close to a gay relationship on the show. Some are homophobic, others might feel that toddlers don't need to learn about gay marriage just yet and others will have reasons I haven't considered.
My grandparents who looked after me after school until my mum got home were never comfortable with any discussion of sexuality on TV and were of a generation of people who never got sex education at school and were deeply uncomfortable with any discussion of the subject - they certainly felt that teaching about sexuality, homosexual, heterosexual or otherwise was the parents' job alone.
When I was a kid I learned a lot from this show - both educationally and in terms of values such as sharing, honesty and accepting others. If gay marriage had featured on Sesame Street there's a good chance I wouldn't have been watching it and I would have missed out.
My argument here is that it would be a shame for a child somewhere to be deprived of Sesame Street by homophobic/homosceptic parents or even just parents who feel that their toddler doesn't need to learn about sexuality at such a young age.
And yes, some parents are just homophobic and yes, that's bad and yes, it would be nice if they weren't so deluded but since these people do exist - let's not punish their children by taking away something which teaches them to read and count.
5) They're puppets. They are puppets. Puppets is what they are.
6) Why do two guys have to be gay just because they live together and enjoy each other's company?
I think I'm done for now - I had other points but my supper is almost ready.
1) They're puppets.
2) You can teach children about acceptance and tolerance of other lifestyles without having to drag sexual orientation into it. I had many educational influences in my life, Sesame Street was one of them - and it taught me to accept gay people simply by teaching me that I should accept others for who they are, no matter what. It never had to come right out and say "THIS IS A GAY MAN. ACCEPT HIM! ACCEPT HIM!"
3) They're puppets.
4) Some parents are going to ban their kids from watching Sesame Street if there's anything close to a gay relationship on the show. Some are homophobic, others might feel that toddlers don't need to learn about gay marriage just yet and others will have reasons I haven't considered.
My grandparents who looked after me after school until my mum got home were never comfortable with any discussion of sexuality on TV and were of a generation of people who never got sex education at school and were deeply uncomfortable with any discussion of the subject - they certainly felt that teaching about sexuality, homosexual, heterosexual or otherwise was the parents' job alone.
When I was a kid I learned a lot from this show - both educationally and in terms of values such as sharing, honesty and accepting others. If gay marriage had featured on Sesame Street there's a good chance I wouldn't have been watching it and I would have missed out.
My argument here is that it would be a shame for a child somewhere to be deprived of Sesame Street by homophobic/homosceptic parents or even just parents who feel that their toddler doesn't need to learn about sexuality at such a young age.
And yes, some parents are just homophobic and yes, that's bad and yes, it would be nice if they weren't so deluded but since these people do exist - let's not punish their children by taking away something which teaches them to read and count.
5) They're puppets. They are puppets. Puppets is what they are.
6) Why do two guys have to be gay just because they live together and enjoy each other's company?
I think I'm done for now - I had other points but my supper is almost ready.
This is fucking ridiculous. Everyone knows they're not gay, it's guy love, between two guys. It's all it is. There is nothing gay about it.
For god's sakes people. It's not that complicated.
why do puppets need to be gay or even transgender? there is a time and a place for everything and having a tranny on sesame street does not sound like a good idea. i really dislike the people that think that because they are gay that their sexual preferences have to be included in all forms of media.
I heard about this, and seriously, I think it's cute that some people like to think they're gay, but making a PETITION to have them get married?! I mean come ON, they only share the same apartment! How many other people have roommates of the shame gender?
Given that I live with MY best friend and we're both women (and despite the fact that we've both been seeing guys outside of home), people still think we're a lesbian couple. People, she's my best friend. Just because I hang with her all the time and I live with her doesn't mean that when the door locks at night she's in my bed. My partner would have a small coronary, lmao!
I don't think Bert and Ernie are gay. One of my oldest friends is one of the most camp people I've ever come across and he's lovely. I've been an avid supporter of gay rights for years because I had to watch him be discriminated against, so it's not that I don't disagree with the idea of gay rights. But for heavens' sake, they're puppets and best friends. A few years ago, you couldn't leave the house or be in the company of a guy without people thinking he was your boyfriend. Now if you're within a couple of metres of your best friend of the same sex? "Is that your boyfriend/girlfriend?"
*shakes head*
I don't think Bert and Ernie are gay. One of my oldest friends is one of the most camp people I've ever come across and he's lovely. I've been an avid supporter of gay rights for years because I had to watch him be discriminated against, so it's not that I don't disagree with the idea of gay rights. But for heavens' sake, they're puppets and best friends. A few years ago, you couldn't leave the house or be in the company of a guy without people thinking he was your boyfriend. Now if you're within a couple of metres of your best friend of the same sex? "Is that your boyfriend/girlfriend?"
*shakes head*
I honestly never thought of Bert and Ernie to be a gay couple. I always saw them as friends.
Sure, I find some jokes about them being gay pretty funny. But actually trying to make it so that they are a married couple in the show? That seems to be going too far.
Sure, I find some jokes about them being gay pretty funny. But actually trying to make it so that they are a married couple in the show? That seems to be going too far.
It's a kid's show! What's next? Dora the explorer coming out of the closet? Yo Gabba Gabba teaching kids about drugs?
Seriously, they're puppets. Sure, they COULD be a gay couple. But they could also be, oh, I don't know, roommates? Or maybe just good friends?
The idea of two people of the same gender sharing a household does not equal gay people. There are plenty of reasons for it. Or what's next? If two siblings live under the same roof, it's incest right away? Or maybe Johnny Test is into bestiality?
Look, I'm all up for equal rights and not judging people by their gender. Heck, I'm gay myself. But Sesame Street is aimed at a certain kind of audience, pre-schoolers and all the way to maybe 3rd grade, and that's going too far (Really, what 10 year old kid will openly admit he still watches Sesame Street? At that age, they move on to some other cartoons and shows). I don't think it's the right time to teach children about sex and stuff like that. I'm not saying that kids should be kept in the dark until they are older. I'm just saying that it's not the time or place to teach them about gay equality. It's a very delicate subject and each family should handle it differently. It's the same reason why Sesame Street won't go into religion that much.
The whole petition is dumb, sorry to say. It's a kid's show, it's not meant to make sense, leave it alone.
Seriously, they're puppets. Sure, they COULD be a gay couple. But they could also be, oh, I don't know, roommates? Or maybe just good friends?
The idea of two people of the same gender sharing a household does not equal gay people. There are plenty of reasons for it. Or what's next? If two siblings live under the same roof, it's incest right away? Or maybe Johnny Test is into bestiality?
Look, I'm all up for equal rights and not judging people by their gender. Heck, I'm gay myself. But Sesame Street is aimed at a certain kind of audience, pre-schoolers and all the way to maybe 3rd grade, and that's going too far (Really, what 10 year old kid will openly admit he still watches Sesame Street? At that age, they move on to some other cartoons and shows). I don't think it's the right time to teach children about sex and stuff like that. I'm not saying that kids should be kept in the dark until they are older. I'm just saying that it's not the time or place to teach them about gay equality. It's a very delicate subject and each family should handle it differently. It's the same reason why Sesame Street won't go into religion that much.
The whole petition is dumb, sorry to say. It's a kid's show, it's not meant to make sense, leave it alone.
I had an odd reaction to this article. I'm a lesbian and ALL for every advance for equal gay rights. But this story caused me to go "no, don't do that," midway through the article. I had to reflect on my reaction to understand what it meant. By the end, it reminded me of something a friend of mine encountered.
A friend of mine happens to be bisexual. She was dating a bisexual guy at the time I'm thinking of. Another friend of hers is gay, and refused to accept her boyfriend as bi. "He's confused. He's actually gay," her friend would claim. Her roomate in fact said the same thing about her; "you're not bi, you're confused, and just playing the field until you decide which sex you like more."
The connection I'm making with this story is that there seems to be a type of person that will decide orientation of another based on personal opinions or beliefs. I feel like that's what's happened here. And in the case of long running fictional characters Bert and Ernie, it is the creators choice what they are. And whether or not someone says, "oh, that right there is a sign of gay" doesn't make them gay.
Sooo, they're not gay no matter how much they may appear that way. No person is something because another person says they are. And in the case of [strong]fictional[/strong] characters only, sexual orientation is a choice of the creators.
A friend of mine happens to be bisexual. She was dating a bisexual guy at the time I'm thinking of. Another friend of hers is gay, and refused to accept her boyfriend as bi. "He's confused. He's actually gay," her friend would claim. Her roomate in fact said the same thing about her; "you're not bi, you're confused, and just playing the field until you decide which sex you like more."
The connection I'm making with this story is that there seems to be a type of person that will decide orientation of another based on personal opinions or beliefs. I feel like that's what's happened here. And in the case of long running fictional characters Bert and Ernie, it is the creators choice what they are. And whether or not someone says, "oh, that right there is a sign of gay" doesn't make them gay.
Sooo, they're not gay no matter how much they may appear that way. No person is something because another person says they are. And in the case of [strong]fictional[/strong] characters only, sexual orientation is a choice of the creators.
It's called sexual orientation for a reason. Because it's about sex. People who are sexually attracted to people of the same gender are gay. Therefore, if you say that Bert and Ernie are gay, it would imply a sexual relationship. I don't even want to go into why implying a sexual relationship between two puppets is not appropriate for a chilren's TV show. At the very least it would be extremly confusing for younger viewers.HeavyWeaponsSpy said:
You can't just say "That's a homophoic point of view." It isn't. It is a logical point of view. There is no reason to add sexuality into Sesame Street, straight, gay or otherwise.
There goes the gay community again, trying to take over the world by claiming everything in the world should support and represent them. First they took the rainbow and manly hugs away, now they are trying take Ernie and Bert. Why do they gotta attack the significant bro-ship of Ernie and Bert? Not cool...(these statements were obviously meant as a joke, no offense to the sensitive)
Also, I want my frakking rainbow back! [sub]It gave me gold and skittles and I miss it :-([/sub]
Also, I want my frakking rainbow back! [sub]It gave me gold and skittles and I miss it :-([/sub]
