Nickelodeon shares Pride message from LGBTQ+ characters — including SpongeBob

Nickelodeon is voicing its support forPride Month with a new message thatdrew plenty of praise from fans.On June 13, the TV channel tweeted thatit was celebrating the “LGBTQ+ communityand their allies this month and every month”.The post included images ofMichael D.

Cohen, the transgenderactor who plays Schwoz Schwartz in thelive-action series “Henry Danger”.It also included Korra, the bisexual leadcharacter of the “Avatar: The Last Airbender”sequel series, “The Legend of Korra”.The final face in Nickelodeon’s post?

SpongeBobSquarePants.

The lovable yellow sponge appearedin the tweet, covered in an array of Pride colors.Nickelodeon’s message led many fans tospeculate that, by including SpongeBob,the channel was identifying the characteras a member of the LGBTQ+ community.At the very least, they were identifyinghim as an ally of the community.Those speculations only grew when,shortly after sharing the post, Nickelodeonturned off replies to the tweet.Did they just confirm spongebob asgay and then turn off the replies.

If soi love this for him,” one user wrote.Many, meanwhile, were simply excitedto see such a prominent characternamed as a part of the LGBTQ+ community —regardless of his perceived sexuality.As Insider points out, Stephen Hillenburg,who created “SpongeBob SquarePants,” spokeon the character’s sexuality in 2005 .He told Reuters he saw himas being “almost asexual”