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The Velveteen Ocelot

(130,667 posts)

20. Cartoons and toys are given genders because we don't like to call anything "it"

Reply to Hassin Bin Sober (Reply #18)

Tue Sep 18, 2018, 04:47 PM

Sep 2018

that has humanoid characteristics. Winnie the Pooh is a "boy" but "he" is really just an imaginary toy teddy bear. But because "he" is animate "he" has to have a gender (usually male - because even imaginary creatures are seldom female unless they're minor players in their stories) because we don't like sentient, animate beings, even imaginary ones, to be "its." But it's very hard for me to think about Winnie the Pooh or Gumby or Felix the Cat, although designated as "male," as either straight or gay. They have gender definitions but not sexuality (OK, maybe Kermit and Miss Piggy are among the few exceptions).

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Sesame Street Writer Confirms Bert and Ernie Are Gay [View all] 47of74 Sep 2018 OP

All along I thought they were puppets. Sanity Claws Sep 2018 #1

That's pretty much how every little kid is BannonsLiver Sep 2018 #3

Yep. As a kid I never gave any thought to the sexual identity of the characters. Freethinker65 Sep 2018 #7

Fun fact: Gay people can be gay and never have sex! Mind Blown! Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #15

I think most of us already knew this. Laffy Kat Sep 2018 #2

I didn't think puppets had any kind of sex. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2018 #4

Puppets should be free to love other puppets. marylandblue Sep 2018 #6

Fun fact: People can be gay and not have sex. Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #16

By that I didn't mean having sex; I meant sexual identity. They're puppets. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2018 #17

You think Animal might be a girl? And Miss Piggy is maybe a boy? Hassin Bin Sober Sep 2018 #18

Cartoons and toys are given genders because we don't like to call anything "it" The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2018 #20

You have an issue with Zari, the Muslim feminist muppet? Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #19

I was unaware of the existence of Zari, not being a muppetophile. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2018 #21

And yet, the writer confirms it. Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #22

I have no objection to that at all. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2018 #23

The writer only confirms his opinion. SixString Sep 2018 #25

And the bigots are looking around saying, What can we burn? What can we burn? Croney Sep 2018 #5

I dont see it that way. riverbendviewgal Sep 2018 #8

My friend Mark Guppy Sep 2018 #9

Great background underpants Sep 2018 #26

Lmao, give me a break Separation Sep 2018 #10

Oh, bullshit. BlueStater Sep 2018 #11

you beat my thread by 6 minutes left-of-center2012 Sep 2018 #12

DUH but thanks for the affirmation writer guy . Love Bert & Ernie! lunasun Sep 2018 #13

How nice. Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #14

I just put a bunch of bigots on ignore. johnp3907 Sep 2018 #30

Frank Oz: "I created Bert. I know what and who he is." SixString Sep 2018 #32

They are puppets. IluvPitties Sep 2018 #24

No shit RandySF Sep 2018 #27

Luckovich had fun with this Gothmog Sep 2018 #28

I always thought of them as a more innocent version of the Odd Couple. roamer65 Sep 2018 #29

The writer only confirms his opinion. SixString Sep 2018 #31

UPDATE: Twitter has made note of this 47of74 Sep 2018 #33

a sign of true love lol JHan Sep 2018 #34

Yes, they're puppets and don't have a sexual identity but.. JHan Sep 2018 #35