Spongebob Squarepants was confirmed to be queer by Nickelodeon. (Nickelodeon)
SpongeBob SquarePants’ sexuality has entered the 2020 chat and it seems everyone desperately needed a distraction from the indelible horrors of coronavirus as thousands of Twitter users came to celebrate the yellow square’s coming out party.
Nickelodeon tweeted Saturday night celebratory Pride Month tweet with pictures of Spongebob, alongside canonically queer characters Schwoz Schwartz from Henry Danger and Korra from Avatar: The Last Airbender spin-off Legends of Korra.
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
“Celebrating Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month,” the children’s television network wrote, turning off comments and replies to the tweet in what can only be called a drive-by coming out.
Spongebob Squarepants is asexual, according to show creators.
Spongebob’s sexuality has long been up for speculation, and, in the early 2000s, show creator Stephen Hillenburg said he considers Spongebob asexual.
“We never intended them to be gay,” Hillenburg said of SpongeBob and Patrick in 2005, People reported. “I consider them to be almost asexual.”
Indeed, sexuality is a nuanced thing that simple words can’t always comprehend the rhythms of sexual and romantic desire in their syllables. Many ace activists sought to remind users that ace folk aren’t necessarily aromantic as well, the having of little to no desire for romantic relationships, and many ace people are hetero, homo and biromatic.
Ace gay icon
— Manu Harleen Celeste 🗡🌈✿ (@Mbfly6) June 13, 2020
As they were legally obigated to, people were euphoric that the beloved character has now been officially welcomed canonically as a member of the LGBT+ community.
I don’t care if spongebob is asexual, bisexual or gay, I stan him pic.twitter.com/qzLD47aCnv
— APOLLO🪐 (@ApolloLXXXIX) June 13, 2020
“spongebob is gay??!!” as if he hasn’t been in the full drags a many of times… literally full couch cushion padding, wig glued, boots the haus of atlantis down pat…. pic.twitter.com/775eZgpzWq
— Keaton jones news & updates (@bxsel) June 13, 2020
Nickelodeon said https://t.co/a0XDt9IxFO pic.twitter.com/8Dtq1BLlbp
— Yves Dorner (@AdamantxYves) June 13, 2020
nickelodeon turning off replies pic.twitter.com/PKkW0sGwzB
— mary goore (@dunwaIl) June 13, 2020
While countless ace folk revelled at the network showing that asexuals are a part of the LGBT+ community.
asexual spongebob is a queer icon https://t.co/IhqkN4lt5O
— tyler oakley (@tyleroakley) June 13, 2020
A lot of people are saying “Spongebob is asexual according to Stephen Hillenburg” and I just wanna point out that would still make him queer, aces are queer, he can be a gay ace, he’s allowed to wear the rainbow too guys #Pride #PrideMonth #AIsNotForAlly #AcesAreLGBTQ https://t.co/phqavPuDHr
— Elle Rose 🖤🤍💜 (@scretladyspider) June 13, 2020
spongebob is asexual biromantic, thank you for coming to my tedtalk. pic.twitter.com/3K5wJDdBE4
— 𝖛𝖊𝖊 (@banditovee) June 13, 2020
nickelodeon just fucking wrecked ALL of the aphobes by saying spongebob is asexual and lgbt+
— 💐stone/mae💐 (@OmniMoomin) June 13, 2020
Spongebob Squarepants is an asexual!!
Spread it like wildfire, everyone!! Don’t erase his asexuality!! pic.twitter.com/hEe4z3w8py
— J 🏳️🌈 ᵇˡᵐ, #MoralesGang (@Realm_of_Light) June 13, 2020
ppl acting like like spongebob can’t be gay AND asexual pic.twitter.com/LI7ALi3HhK
— oj (@antiapplegang) June 13, 2020