The show had previously made no mention of Ratburn's sexuality, but it did thoroughly document the teacher's love of cake, so it only makes sense that he married Elwood City's local chocolatier.
The season premiere, an episode titled "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone / The Feud," sees Arthur and his school pals trying to break up their teacher and a pushy woman they assume to be his fiancé. As it turns out, that woman is his sister, and the infamously strict teacher is actually marrying the guy from the chocolate shop — which gets instant approval from Arthur and his classmates.
It's a progressive move from the PBS-aired show, and Twitter has been applauding the normalization of gay marriage on kids' TV.
See some of the positive responses (and congratulatory messages for Mr. Ratburn) below.
There's still no word on why Arthur and his friends haven't graduated the third grade after 22 years.
It turns out Arthur is more courageous and explicit than Avengers: Endgame when it comes to LGBTQ2 lives and storylines. Congrats Mr. Ratburn! Your move, Marvel.... https://t.co/eq99SerHaC
— Rachel Giese (@rachelagiese) May 13, 2019
MR RATBURN IS GAY HELLO !! HE GOT MARRIED !! pic.twitter.com/T1Emc97Y0f
— EIGHTH WONDER (@WOLFNOlR) May 13, 2019
*saying gay rights with a genteel southern accent* gay rats https://t.co/3qCRYKmys8
— 𝔥𝔦𝔰𝔭𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔠 𝔭𝔦𝔵𝔦𝔢 𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔪 𝔤𝔦𝔯𝔩 (@mathewrodriguez) 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.
— osmosis jones (@keeothrama) May 13, 2019
Plus, all his students are at his wedding! :') pic.twitter.com/aaxGwTE9is
I found out that Mr. Ratburn's getting married to a bloke on Arthur and I say hey (hey) what a wonderful kind of gay.
— Gavin Herman (@MrHissara) May 13, 2019
1) Shoutout to Mr. Ratburn!
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 13, 2019
2) Arthur has been on TV forever. Season 22?? https://t.co/27W8Xo1NhA
gay people who grew up with Arthur: haha mr. ratburn is gay
— snufkai (@kaicedcoffee) May 13, 2019
mr. ratburn: (is actually gay)
the gay people: pic.twitter.com/sjSB7gm0ip
why did buster wear this to mr. ratburn's wedding pic.twitter.com/6z2mJ0ZEWx
— payton🤠 (@payw1997) May 13, 2019
Mr. Ratburn is the gay icon I never knew I needed pic.twitter.com/wp4o5TLr1p
— Andrea Cee (@extraspicee) May 13, 2019
Ya'll still tweeting about GoT when Mr.Ratburn just got married on the season priemere of Arthur smh pic.twitter.com/jUokguYXcr
— Huda Jabbar (@hudaddyy) May 13, 2019
I think the biggest surprise about Mr. Ratburn from Arthur being gay is that I'm just now finding out that Arthur is still coming out with new episodes.
— Erica Mendez (@tsunderica) May 14, 2019
We been knew. Mr. Ratburn is an extremely slept on gay icon. Mr. Ratburn has done more for the LGBQT community than Harvey Milk and Ryan Murphy combined!!!! https://t.co/MilWOP0TTb
— caroline (@hairoline) May 13, 2019
To correct some headlines I'm reading - Mr. Ratburn did not 'come out' as gay on #Arthur. The children he teaches found out because they were invited to his wedding ☺️ the implication is he had been in a healthy same sex relationship for a while now ❤️
— Robert Manion (@robertmanion) May 13, 2019
