This weekend, Nickelodeon sent a tweet confirming that SpongeBob SquarePants is, in fact, a member of the LGBTQ community.
Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month 🌈 (🎨: by @ramzymasri)
While some fans thought Nickelodeon was confirming that SpongeBob is gay, it's actually more likely that the network was acknowledging the beloved sea sponge's asexuality.
Let's all give it up for our asexual icon, Spongebob! 🖤🤍💜
In 2005, creator Stephen Hillenburg — who died in 2018 — said he considered SpongeBob and Patrick to be "almost asexual."
While it was a pivotal move for the network to announce during Pride Month that SpongeBob is part of the LGBTQ community, for many of us the resounding response was, "We been knew!"
Here are 14 times SpongeBob was an LGBTQ icon and you probably just didn't notice:
1. When he adopted a baby scallop with Patrick and they were queer parent goals:
Spongebob gay? I mean he literally had a baby with Patrick
2. When he did this and iykyk:
how are we surprised that spongebob gay when he was literally the og of this
3. When he wore Coral Blue No. 3 lipstick and slayed the gwerls:
SPONGEBOB GAY WE STAN A QUEEN WHO WEARS CORAL BLUE #3
4. When he gave us these receipts:
the straights: HOW IS SPONGEBOB GAY the receipts:
5. When he was the queen of drag and RuPaul was shaking:
"spongebob is gay??!!" as if he hasn't been in the full drags a many of times... literally full couch cushion padding, wig glued, boots the haus of atlantis down pat....
6. When he got caught watching this clip:
If spongebob is gay then this clip is insane
7. When he did this balloon trick and the geighs understood:
Y’all can’t be telling me that you didn’t know spongebob gay tho
8. When he wore this outfit and my wig shifted:
Wbk spongebob was gay
9. When he shared how much he really liked Squidward:
Everyone who is "shocked" that SpongeBob is gay doesn't remember this episode
10. When he drove like this:
why are people shocked spongebob is gay when he drives like this
11. When he just wanted to know if he was a pretty girl:
View this video on YouTube
12. When he wore these white thigh-high boots with a purple cape and served lewks:
I don’t care if spongebob is asexual, bisexual or gay, I stan him
13. When he wore these snazzy pink sunglasses:
of course spongebob is a gay icon you’d have to be blind not to see it
14. And finally, when he literally had sparkling rainbows shooting out of his butt:
So, there you have it, folks. SpongeBob is an LGBTQ icon, and don't you forget it. Long may he reign.
Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride on our relaunched LGBTQ page.
