Who'd have thunk that Marc Brown's beloved Aardvark Arthur would be among the more progressive cartoons ever made? The longstanding series, which is currently enjoying its twenty-second season on PBS, has been making waves across social media over a recent episode.
Those familiar with Arthur and its vast and varied cast likely recognizes the professorial Mr. Ratburn, who ultimately became a fan-favorite, and surprisingly layered character. As it happens, Mr. Ratburn is officially a married man, having gotten hitched to a man (or whatever animal he may be - an aardvark, perhaps?) by the name of Patrick.
The episode titled “Mr. Ratburn & the Special Someone” featured a gay wedding between Ratburn and Patrick, though it should be noted that the same-sex nature of the ceremony was never overtly acknowledged. Many took to social media to celebrate the fictitious union, dubbing Mr. Ratburn as a bonafide "gay icon." Clearly, Arthur remains on-the-ball where social issues are concerned, and it will be curious to see whether they continue to pursue the avenue of gay rights in subsequent episodes.