After over 40 years of speculation, the Sesame Workshop confirmed once and for all that despite sharing a bedroom, the pair of puppet pals are not a romantic couple. This distinction was made in response to a recent petition calling for the ambiguously straight duo to come out of the closet.The letter asked for the show’s producers to allow Bert and Ernie to get married as a sign of tolerance for homosexuals everywhere. The Sesame Workshop responded with this statement, clarifying their position that Bert and Ernie are neither gay NOR straight, as they are merely puppets:
“Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”
