Is SpongeBob gay with Patrick?

In an announcement that might not surprise many individuals, Nickelodeon seemingly declared that the adored children's television character SpongeBob SquarePants is a proud constituent of the LGBTQ+ community.

The network acknowledged Pride month, by means of a Twitter post, declaring it was "Celebrating Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month," accompanied by artwork portraying SpongeBob, Schwoz Schwartz from Henry Danger, and Korra from Avatar: The Legend of Korra, all presented in rainbow-colored shades.

Korra is, inside the world of Avatar, unequivocally queer, having started an explicitly romantic on-screen relationship with her closest companion, Asami Sato. It's uncertain, nevertheless, if Nickelodeon meant the "community" or "allies" with those pictures of Schwoz and SpongeBob — but the internet has previously decided that, following two decades of iconically camp behavior, S.B. has finally, officially come out.

SpongeBob SquarePants premiered in 1999, and has come to be recognized for its mixture of surrealism and slapstick humor. Several instances from the show's earlier seasons have reemerged and been immortalized as memes over the past couple of years, encompassing one still that displays SpongeBob and his best friend (or beau?) Patrick, both with limp wrists, forecasting this disclosure from Nickelodeon.

LGBTQ+ representation in children's media continues to be uncommon, largely because of resistance from studios and parents, who associate visible gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans characters with the "sexualization" of children. That is slowly beginning to evolve. Just last month, Pixar released a short film on Disney+ presenting a gay protagonist; Out documented his journey to come out to his parents and introduce them to his boyfriend. And later this year, Marvel Studios will launch the initial openly gay superhero in the MCU — alongside his husband.