Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. This isn’t really a sports story but as denizens of the internet we feel this applies to us, and want to break it down for you.
SpongeBob SquarePants has been a hit television show for kids of all ages and all generations for nearly two decades now since it debuted on Nickelodeon in 1999.
But since the shows inception, it has also been the target for debate. For years now, people have had questions about SpongeBob’s sexuality and whether he was a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or not.
Today, Nickelodeon seemingly addressed that debate with a single tweet.
Wait, how?
The Nickelodeon Twitter account posted a tweet celebrating Pride month. It said “Celebrating Pride with the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies this month and every month.”
In the tweet, they included SpongeBob, Korra from Avatar: The Legend of Korra and Michael D. Cohen from Henry Danger, who are both known members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month 🌈
(🎨: by @ramzymasri) pic.twitter.com/pENmTaQB0h— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) June 13, 2020
SpongeBob has been trending on Twitter ever since.
Who are those other people?
Well, Cohen, who plays Schwoz Schwartz on Henry Danger, revealed last year that he transitioned to male 20 years ago. And Korra was revealed to be bisexual by the creator of Avatar: The Legend of Korra.
So then Spongebob is gay?
Well, we don’t really know. The tweet doesn’t reveal much.
But it does seem that SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg said SpongeBob was neither gay nor straight back in 2005 — he is asexual. And that means he’d be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community still, which is pretty cool.
What are people saying?
Nothing to Nickelodeon! The network eventually turned off mentions from people who they don’t follow.
Announcing Spongebob being gay then turning comments off cause it ain’t no debate>>>
Nickelodeon SNAPPED https://t.co/O7grNmjaJA
— Drebae💎 (@Drebae_) June 13, 2020
Other than that, plenty of people have been celebrating SpongeBob’s seemingly official coming out.
Was this something people actually cared about?
Yes! It’s been a debate for years now, honestly.
People have always looked at SpongeBob as an LGBTQIA+ icon which is why Hillenburg addressed his sexuality in the interview in 2005.
That may come as a surprise, considering that SpongeBob is a cartoon character. It seems reasonable to let people think whatever they want to think about SpongeBob — he’s a fictional character.
Either way, it seems to actually be official now, so. Happy Pride!
Is Spongebob still the greatest meme character of all-time?
Don’t tell this to Crying Jordan, but absolutely.
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