Change.org Petition Demands Legal Gay Marriage For Ernie and Bert

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Change.org Petition Demands Legal Gay Marriage For Ernie and Bert

Following the legalization of gay marriage in New York, a Change.org petition is calling for official wedded bliss for one of the world's most famous same-sex couples: Sesame Street's Ernie and Bert.

I'm all for gay marriage. As the joke goes, I believe homosexuals have every right to be just as miserable as the rest of us. And I think New York's decision in June to legalize same-sex marriage is absolutely fabulous. But Ernie and Bert? Seriously?

"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," the "Let Ernie and Bert Get Married on Sesame Street [http://www.change.org/petitions/let-bert-ernie-get-married-on-sesame-street]" petition at Change.org reads. "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."

"A lot of people have wondered about Bert and Ernie," petition creator Lair Scott told ABC News [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/light-legalized-sex-marriage-york-online-petition-urges/story?id=14275363]. "Living in the same bedroom and the same home would make anyone question their sexuality."

I'm not quite so convinced that the sexuality of a couple of felt puppets is really all that interesting to the public at large, but Sesame Street nonetheless responded with a very unambiguous statement, stating once again that Ernie and Bert are not gay.

"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," the statement said. "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."

This is actually Scott's second petition relating to Ernie and Bert; a few days prior he posted one calling on Sesame Street to "Out Bert and Ernie as Gay [http://www.change.org/petitions/sesame-street-out-bert-and-ernie-as-gay]." Predictably, what with this being the internet, a number of counter-petitions have also gone up calling on Sesame Street to leave the duo alone.

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Dr. wonderful

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Dec 31, 2009
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What is wrong that idiot.

They are friends, hell one of the best written friends I ever seen. I never saw them as gay, I saw them as roommates.
 

Roboto

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Nov 18, 2009
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"... they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."

Ha. Leave it to Sesame Street to lay out the truth.
 

Smokescreen

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Dec 6, 2007
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Yeesh. It's shit like this that makes liberals look bad.

It's a children's program involving puppets. Leave your dickery out of it.
 

ramboondiea

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Oct 11, 2010
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woo, people are trying to out puppets...what is the world coming to? haha
and how the hell could you introduce a transgender puppet?
 

xmbts

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Even if they did I don't think kids would get it.

When I was watching that show as a kid I hardly knew what sexuality was. Good intentions aside I'm not sure if we should be shoving sexuality of any nature into the spotlight for kids that young.
 

Richard Allen

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Mar 16, 2010
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I hate these ultra liberals, they are so dumb. Christ I'm all for gay rights but this is beyond stupid. It's a fucking show for 10 year olds to learn to count, why is this even an issue.
 

SurrealFactory

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Jun 17, 2011
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As silly as I kinda think this is, I have to question the Sesame Street comment: If puppets have no sexuality, where did Bert and Ernie come from?

EH
 

Croaker42

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Feb 5, 2009
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Look Bert and Ernie are not gay.
They might hang out in truck stop bathrooms every now and then but that is as far as it goes.

But really this is a little sad.

Edit:
One sexualized children?s puppet ah-ah-ah. Two sexualized children?s puppet ah-ah-ah
 

9thRequiem

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Sep 21, 2010
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Found out from Moviebob's tweeting that the original plan was that Bert was Ernie's single-father.
With that beginning idea, is it any wonder that any gay "suggestions" come off awkward?
 

Richard Allen

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Mar 16, 2010
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SurrealFactory said:
As silly as I kinda think this is, I have to question the Sesame Street comment: If puppets have no sexuality, where did Bert and Ernie come from?

EH
A Chinese seamstress. Actually with the high quality pupest they are probably not Chinese hehe.
 

Aizsaule

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Oct 10, 2010
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Obviously equality is good but this is just bullshit, Why would the owners of the show have to do anything? its their show and they can figure out what to do with it.
 

corneth

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Apr 19, 2011
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You know, Gay rights and fight the power and all that, but...
Seriously, They're Fucking Puppets.
 

Gralian

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SurrealFactory said:
As silly as I kinda think this is, I have to question the Sesame Street comment: If puppets have no sexuality, where did Bert and Ernie come from?

EH
Where did God come from? The answer's the same; they simply are as they are.

Not that i'm religious, but i'm just trying to bring home the point that they don't have to make biological sense because they're puppets to justify their existence in the same way God doesn't have to for religious types. Ergo, they wouldn't need to be subject to biological conventions like sexuality either.

Though i'm sure Rule #43 artists on DeviantART would probably say otherwise.
 

2012 Wont Happen

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Aug 12, 2009
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This is why I can't claim to be fond of Liberals. I mean, I suppose I prefer them to Conservatives, but at least Conservative stupidity acts overtly against the Left. When Liberals do stupid shit, decent, hardworking Socialists and Communists somehow get lumped in with it.

This comes to mind:

http://www.marx2mao.com/Mao/CL37.html

I know it isn't the same topic really, but it still comes to mind.
 

Kinokohatake

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Richard Allen said:
I hate these ultra liberals, they are so dumb. Christ I'm all for gay rights but this is beyond stupid. It's a fucking show for 10 year olds to learn to count, why is this even an issue.
If a 10 year old doesn't know how to count, there is a serious issue there. But OT, WHY? What would it accomplish. My 5 year old may be gay, or he may not. But he won't even have an inkling of what that is for like another 7 years.
 

torzath

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Jun 29, 2010
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Why should they have a gay marriage when none (as far as I can remember) of the other characters are married in a straight marriage? Also, none of the characters (again, as far as I can remember) show any signs of romantic or sexual attraction at all, so why is it that Bert and Ernie should be an exception?
I would support a transgender character in the show, but since that would be so easy for the creators to screw up and would most likely just be all around confusing for that age group, I can't really say I want it to happen.