Fans have cheered long-running children’s TV series Arthur for revealing main character Mr Ratburn is gay and tying the knot at a same-sex wedding.
Arthur started screening in 1996 and the premiere episode of its 22nd (!) season is titled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone”.
In the episode, Arthur and his friends are shocked to discover that Mr Ratburn is engaged because they refuse to accept that their teachers actually have lives outside of school.
The kids assume his significant other is a bossy stranger voiced by Jane Lynch, but she turns out to be Mr. Ratburn’s sister.
But when they make it to Ratburn’s wedding, they meet their teacher’s actual significant other, Patrick, who runs a chocolate shop.
Fans declared Mr Ratburn to be “the gay icon we didn’t know we needed” as they reacted to a childhood favorite now featuring the wedding of an LGBTIQ character.
PSA: Mr. Ratburn from "Arthur" is gay. Do you know how amazing it is that someone who's been on the show from the start, someone who's a main character, is openly gay and getting married on a kids show? PBS Kids really is that bitch.
Plus, all his students are at his wedding! :') pic.twitter.com/aaxGwTE9is— osmosis jones (@keeothrama) May 13, 2019
Mr. Ratburn is the gay icon I never knew I needed pic.twitter.com/wp4o5TLr1p
— Andrea Cee (@extraspicee) May 13, 2019
MR RATBURN IS GAY ?!? IM CRYING pic.twitter.com/e9A4ZnnGa2
— Gatsby (@gatsplatt) May 13, 2019
animation twitter is losing it over the fact that arthur made mr ratburn gay but no one is talking about his clearly queer sister pic.twitter.com/WcJBdP70l7
— Goth Ms. Frizzle (@spookperson) May 13, 2019
It turns out Arthur is more courageous and explicit than Avengers: Endgame when it comes to LGBTQ2 lives and storylines. Congrats Mr. Ratburn! Your move, Marvel…. https://t.co/eq99SerHaC
— Rachel Giese (@rachelagiese) May 13, 2019
mr. ratburn was the gay representation i needed to see in my youth pic.twitter.com/kkdew1hOys
— jules (@condesjulia) May 9, 2019
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