Arthur's teacher comes out as gay and gets married on the PBS Kids show's season premiere
PBS has just confirmed what those with heightened gaydar have suspected for years — Mr. Ratburn, Arthur's no-nonsense-with-a-heart-of-gold teacher, is gay. Beyond that, in the Season 22 premiere of the PBS Kids show, the admirable educator gets married.
The animated children's series Arthur entered its 22nd season with a celebration in an episode titled "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone." The episode covers a topic that many children find relatable: Their teacher actually has a life outside of school.
MR RATBURN IS GAY HELLO !! HE GOT MARRIED !! pic.twitter.com/T1Emc97Y0f
— EIGHTH WONDER (@WOLFNOlR) May 13, 2019
“When they go home, they sharpen pencils, eat kale and dream up homework assignments,” Buster Baxter, Arthur's best friend claims about teachers. “They don’t even sleep! They just go into low-power mode and watch documentaries.”
Immediately, the children grow concerned when they witness a woman (voiced by Jane Lynch) telling Mr. Ratburn to "toughen up." The children know that if their beloved teacher were to marry such a person he would be miserable. On the wedding day, Arthur, Buster and the rest of the gang discover that the woman is actually Mr. Ratburn's sister and that he is marrying a man.
Mr. Ratburn from the beloved children’s show “Arthur” comes out as gay in the season 22 premiere of the show. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/RdxSFXt3sG
— Pop Crave (@PopCraveNet) May 13, 2019
The entire heartwarming episode can be viewed here. The internet was not shy in their opinions about a cartoon school teacher inviting his students to his wedding.
Mr. Ratburn being gay is *my* Game of Thrones finale
— 𝚂𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚘𝚜’ 𝚃𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 (@salmattos) May 13, 2019
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
Hey it’s great that Mr.Ratburn married his boyfriend but we still don’t know how Arthur’s glasses are staying on his head. It’s 2019, we need answers! #Arthur pic.twitter.com/pM8sdwPqLe
— Daniel Mole (@DanielMole29) May 13, 2019
On the one hand this gay wedding on Arthur is so cute but on the other hand imagine going to a teacher’s wedding
— Ira Madison III (@ira) May 13, 2019
The episode does not overtly label Mr. Ratburn as "gay" much like another episode of an Arthur spinoff show, Postcards From Buster, that featured gay characters. In the episode, Buster meets a number of children whose moms were lesbians. While Buster comments, "Boy, that's a lot of moms!" it is not said that they are lesbians.
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