# should the Sesame Street same-sex couple be human or Muppet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738 "2011-08-15T00:39:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/1 "2011-08-15T00:39:32Z")
In the thread discussing marrying Bert and Ernie off, it was mentioned that it’d be better to have new characters be a same-sex couple, rather than retconning Bert and Ernie. So which would you prefer? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/2 "2011-08-15T00:56:51Z")
I don’t think it much matters, as it’s a good message either way. I chose muppet, cause I like Avenue Q. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/3 "2011-08-15T01:00:00Z")
Human. It’d be too easy for gay Muppets to just turn into a campy joke. Humans are, by nature, much more completely characterized. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/4 "2011-08-15T01:01:24Z")
Such a limited view point of view. Clearly they should be one of each. A homosexual and interspecies relationship needs to be on television. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/5 "2011-08-15T01:18:45Z")
The muppets on Sesame Street are pretty asexual (though Cookie Monster’s baked good fetish certainly blurs the line), and with a few exceptions, child-like themselves. I think Sesame Street should probably stick to keeping them that way. There was at least one wedding amongst the human cast already (hetero-sexual, obviously), so if they wanted to do a gay-wedding, I’d imagine they’d do it with the humans. The country probably still has a ways to go in accepting gays before that actually happens though. Maybe when my grandkids are watching. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/6 "2011-08-15T01:19:12Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > I don’t think it much matters, as it’s a good message either way. I chose muppet, cause I like Avenue Q. 🙂 Haven’t seen _Avenue Q_, but I absolutely agree the message is more important than the whether it’s Muppet or Human. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/7 "2011-08-15T01:33:32Z")
Human. It would be more real, and kids would see it as less than a “fairy tale” or something “pretend”. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/8 "2011-08-15T03:30:02Z")
I voted for human but I feel like there should be more options: 1. Human 2. Retcon Bert and Ernie 3. New muppet couple 4. No gays on Sesame Street! 5. Other Does Sesame Street really even have many human couples? And are they just defacto Mr and Mrs or do they touch at all on any romantic relationship issues? I think if gay couples are on Sesame Street they are better off just shown in one of the various video bits, without drawing attention to the nature of the relationship, but not hiding it either, in a similar way that various HGTV reality shows have random gay couples as the “client”. I think more explicit coupledom is more the venue of the muppets. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/9 "2011-08-15T03:37:48Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Does Sesame Street really even have many human couples? And are they just defacto Mr and Mrs or do they touch at all on any romantic relationship issues? They did in the 80’s. Once character dated one character, was married to a second, and then her IRL pregnancy was worked into the show. Not sure if they still do that sort of thing though. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/10 "2011-08-15T03:44:05Z")
Human, but they should do double dates with Bert and Ernie. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/11 "2011-08-15T03:55:19Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > They did in the 80’s. Once character dated one character, was married to a second, and then her IRL pregnancy was worked into the show. Not sure if they still do that sort of thing though. Wow. It’s a regular Melrose Place on the Street! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/12 "2011-08-15T04:00:39Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > The muppets on Sesame Street are pretty asexual (though Cookie Monster’s baked good fetish certainly blurs the line), and with a few exceptions, child-like themselves. I think Sesame Street should probably stick to keeping them that way. This was my thinking as well. I also think the humans should not make a big deal out of it at all. Just have people who are obviously a couple, and have no one bat an eye. Then, if you really need the in-your-face episode, have it be a new muppet who comes in and asks them about it. But only after they’ve been established, so the kids see they are people, too, and not just a gimmick. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/13 "2011-08-15T04:49:21Z")
I’d prefer it to be human. Let the Muppets remain asexual. Besides, I don’t think kids who watch Sesame Street need to have a conversation like this one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bQJdOx8LMgw/hqdefault.jpg "OZ and Teletubbies") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQJdOx8LMgw) ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/14 "2011-08-15T16:00:29Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Such a limited view point of view. Clearly they should be one of each. A homosexual and interspecies relationship needs to be on television. 🙂 Seriously now, my first thought was it doesn’t matter, but then after a half second’s thought, it kind of feels like a muppet couple is sort of pussyfooting around it. Human. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/15 "2011-08-15T16:09:45Z")
Human, and not a word ever mentioned about it. No My Big Gay Muppet Wedding, no Very Special Episode, just Jim and Bob who live together and hold hands sometimes (do the hetero-married people on Sesame Street ever hold hands?). Maybe they adopt a baby at some point. There won’t be true equality as long as we still have to explain and/or celebrate gay relationships. Only when they’re as boring as hetero ones will there be real meaningful equality. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/16 "2011-08-15T16:20:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Human, and not a word ever mentioned about it. No My Big Gay Muppet Wedding, no Very Special Episode, just Jim and Bob who live together and hold hands sometimes (do the hetero-married people on Sesame Street ever hold hands?). Maybe they adopt a baby at some point. Admittedly its been twenty years since I watched Sesame Street, but I think this is sort of against the philosophy of the show. They explain everything that goes on in the adults lives in minute details to the kids. The adults all have jobs and relationships that are mentioned again and again to the audience, so the kids can link what they see on the non-muppet portions of the show to what the adults in their own lives do. I think the presence of a gay couple would need to be accompanied with many explanations of what their relationship to eachother was (and this being aimed at pre-schoolers, it would need to be explained over and over again). A gay couple that didn’t have their lives explained in the same way as the shows hetero-sexuals would just stand out as some sort of weird anamoly to the kids. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/17 "2011-08-15T16:30:15Z")
As I said in the other thread, introduce a middle-aged lesbian couple. Nobody has a problem with middle-aged lesbians. They could be like aunts to all the younger characters. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/18 "2011-08-15T16:32:32Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Admittedly its been twenty years since I watched Sesame Street, but I think this is sort of against the philosophy of the show. They explain everything that goes on in the adults lives in minute details to the kids. The adults all have jobs and relationships that are mentioned again and again to the audience, so the kids can link what they see on the non-muppet portions of the show to what the adults in their own lives do. > > I think the presence of a gay couple would need to be accompanied with many explanations of what their relationship to eachother was (and this being aimed at pre-schoolers, it would need to be explained over and over again). A gay couple that didn’t have their lives explained in the same way as the shows hetero-sexuals would just stand out as some sort of weird anamoly to the kids. Yeah, you’re probably right. _sigh_ Adults make this stuff so complicated sometimes. Still, they could keep it to a minimum\*. I mean, how much do they explain about hetero-marriage? [Seems like this kid’s got it all figured out.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQJvSzkVfRg) Nothing there that doesn’t apply to gay-marriage as well as hetero-marriage. The live together, they kiss and they hug and they love each other. That about sums it up for me! \*And I don’t say this at all because I’m gay marriage averse, believe me. I say it because I don’t see why “gay” is a required adjective for marriage at all. Jim and Bob are married. What’s married mean? It means (to a preschooler) they live together, they kiss and they hug, and they love each other. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/19 "2011-08-15T17:41:06Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > … I think the presence of a gay couple would need to be accompanied with many explanations of what their relationship to eachother was (and this being aimed at pre-schoolers, it would need to be explained over and over again). A gay couple that didn’t have their lives explained in the same way as the shows hetero-sexuals would just stand out as some sort of weird anamoly to the kids. How much explanation do the hetero couples get? Is it a “his penis goes into her vagina” explanation or is it a “he loves her and so they hold hands” explanation? Assuming Sesame St. hasn’t changed THAT much since I last watched it, I’m guessing it’s the latter. In which case, “he loves him and so they hold hands” should cover it as well. Equality, people: treating everyone the same. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738/20 "2011-08-15T17:43:21Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > How much explanation do the hetero couples get? Is it a “his penis goes into her vagina” explanation or is it a “he loves her and so they hold hands” explanation? The latter obviously. I was responding to posters that thought they could just drop a gay-couple in the show and not explain why they live together or what their relationship is. Thats not really how Sesame Street works. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sesame-street-same-sex-couple-be-human-or-muppet/592738.md?page=2)