When the PBS Kids’ show Arthur aired an episode in which beloved teacher Mr. Ratburn married his boyfriend, it provided kids everywhere with an unexpected, positive representation of same-sex marriage in a show made just for them.
But when a headline pointing out that Alabama wouldn’t be airing that “gay rat wedding” popped up, fodder for a new meme was born.
gay rat wedding pic.twitter.com/oziocpygFb
— sarah schauer 🦂 (@sarahschauer) May 21, 2019
The headline in question was soon exchanged for the less entertaining “Alabama Public Television refused to air an episode of Arthur featuring same-sex marriage,” but “gay rat wedding” had already caught on and spread across Twitter.
https://twitter.com/HlRSCH/status/1131192894910554112
always the gay rat bridesmaid never the gay rat bride
— #Stop Cop City (@stop_sweeps_atx) May 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/caoily/status/1131412411917975553
gay rat wedding pic.twitter.com/6lwCLpbBQe
— Animated Text (@animatedtext) May 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/RealYungCripp/status/1130686168910245889
It wasn’t long before the phrase “gay rat wedding” found its way into mashups with other pop culture moments.
https://twitter.com/tiemoose/status/1131632322170839046?s=12
didn’t see stuart little in the crowd at the gay rat wedding guess he’s homophobic
— Rob (@ghoulcabin) May 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/LoganLofgren/status/1131030289638154241
[billy idol voice] it’s a nice gay for a, rat wedding
— lily pfaff 🌿 (@spatterdocks) May 21, 2019
And seeing as how the people over at Alabama Public Television are clearly suffering from some sort of gay panic, it only made sense that even Panic! at the Disco lyrics would be co-opted for the cause.
https://twitter.com/jpbrammer/status/1131364799756013568
https://twitter.com/pooldad/status/1130953481228083201
Some Twitter users even went so far as to find their own ways to justify Alabama’s censoring of the gay rat wedding.
gay rat honeymoon pic.twitter.com/uo9R4g2Lf4
— helen (@helen) May 23, 2019
sorry im so sweaty i was watching a gay rat wedding
— gary from teen mom (@garyfromteenmom) May 24, 2019
“congrats” is short for “consummated gay rat wedding”
— radley “the rad” raddles (@angharadyeo) May 24, 2019
this is why alabama didn’t want to air the gay rat wedding pic.twitter.com/rUyjxxpLRF
— arielle (@ar1e11e) May 24, 2019
But with every great meme comes at least one drawback.
just realized people are going to dress as gay wedding rats for pride
— David Mack (@davidmackau) May 21, 2019
Just kidding — bring on all the gay rat wedding costumes! If Alabama thought a cartoon same-sex marriage between animals would be too hard for parents to explain to their kids, they’re going to really have a hard time explaining why a bunch of grown adults are parading down the street dressed as gay rats.
And yes, we do know one of the grooms is actually likely an aardvark, but why would anyone ever pass up the opportunity to say “gay rat wedding” as often as possible?
READ MORE:
- Mr. Ratburn from ‘Arthur’ is gay—and Twitter is thrilled
- This edgy remake of ‘Arthur’ is the teen drama you’ve been waiting for
- Former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka says ‘Arthur’ gay wedding is proof of ‘culture war’
