With the recognition of gay marriage in New York City, perhaps it is time for this ideology to make it to everyone’s favorite childhood show Sesame Street.
Right.
When I first heard about the pressures of proclaiming the sexuality of two childhood puppets, I really did not know what to say. Recently, a group of gay activists started a petition for the producers of Sesame Street to declare that Bert and Ernie have been living in the closet and want the two to walk down the aisle. Apparently, Chicago resident Lair Scott is not alone. As the news broke, the petition has gained much support to pursue the issue in honor of children growing up in a homophobic society.
But at age four, you don’t know anything about anything. You barely know your right foot from your left. Let alone think of why two men are rooming together.
There are tons of things we do as children that if we did as adults we would be looked at as fools ― or the politically correct term, not functional citizens. If we’re going to talk behaviors and acceptance, you can’t just go around hitting people or throwing tantrums because people aren’t agreeing with you. Can we not allow two males to cohabitate in the same space? I mean, they have been happy this long. Since its debut, Bert and Ernie have been a huge staple in the show showing the importance of accountability and friendship.
[pagebreak]
Before you make the comments connecting homosexuality with the ‘couple’ in question, you’re already reaching and voiding your comments. It’s not safe to assume. There is a difference between sexuality orientation and sexual identity. And again, Bert and Ernie are merely puppets. They know nothing, well shouldn’t know, about sexual orientation or what it is to be homosexual. A major confusion comes from what we as society deem to be homosexual because there are more to than homosexuality than a broken wrist or two men singing to each other in the shower.
Honestly, I feel sorry for Bert and Ernie. This is a perfect example of how everyone tries to make a connection to homosexuality and acceptance. However, I do feel children should be introduced to tolerance. Now how the writers and actors come up with a way to introduce this to their juvenile audience is up to them. Perhaps, introduce a new and different character. Since 1969, the show has done a good job addressing difficult issues beyond what it means to share such as divorce and racial diversity.
Sex and sexuality is an unspoken taboo very uncommon dialogue in our community. Hence, people don’t recognize the society in which we live. We live in a homophobic country and everyone doesn’t embrace sexuality openly. Just not the reality we live in. Sometimes I think people feel like we live in a mystical place like Sesame Street. We have to realize we still live in a society where everyone does not accept or tolerate the same lifestyle. Tolerance starts at home and should not become a problem for society. Instead of petitioning the show, the group should look at targeting parents and engage them on teaching their children about tolerance.
Leave Bert and Ernie alone.
Drew-Shane Daniels is a Philadelphia based writer maneuvering through life and graduate school. He’s the creative genius behind the project www.heardhimsay.com, his daily blog where he offers his two cents on lifestyle, sexuality and pop culture issues. His work has been featured on Soul Train, Clutch Magazine, Krave Magazine, theFreshXpress and BET.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @drewshane.
