Popnography
The Gayest Cartoon Couples
From Hanna-Barbera favorites to Hordak & Skeletor of 'She-Ra: Princess of Power'
January 28 2013 2:20 PM EST
December 18 2017 11:29 PM EST
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From Hanna-Barbera favorites to Hordak & Skeletor of 'She-Ra: Princess of Power'
Over at Gay.net, they've amassed 20 of the "gayest cartoon couples" who they say have "paved the way for the cartoon characters of today to say, 'It's OK to be gay.' " An example? Yogi Bear and Boo Boo.
As Jase Peeples writes: "Long before out animated couples like American Dad's Greg and Terry were a part of pop culture, gays had to find representation on television through innuendo and subtext. Thankfully the animated shows of yesterday had no shortage of men whose relationships suggested there was a lot more going on off camera--and between the sheets."
Now we're sad to see that none of the Venture Bros. characters made the list (guess there's no true "couple" just a bunch of hot dudes?), but the following are some of our favorites that they selected.
For the full list, visit Gay.net.
And if this gets you curious, remember to check out our list of the Gayest Cartoon Characters of All Time.
R2D2 AND C3PO from DROIDS
From the golden age of the Republic to the dark days of the Galactic Empire and back again, these cybernetic sweethearts have been through it all and are still going strong. Of course we have a soft spot for R2D2 and C3PO because droids in the Star Wars universe endure many of the same discriminations as LGBT people. ("We don't serve their kind here!") However, despite the fact this dramatic droid duo still struggles to have their relationship recognized under Republic law, they're love for one another has inspired us since we first laid eyes on them a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
THUNDARR AND OOKLA THE MOK from THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN
Thundarr and Ookla were trailblazing the (futuristic) gay cowboy life long beforeBrokeback Mountain hit theatres. These two muscle bears were living happily ever after until they were enslaved by the wizard Sabian. Thankfully, Princess Ariel, the young lady who would become their fruit fly (the more PC version of a fag hag), helped them escape and they've been tearing it up in a world full of people who look like the inhabitants of a circuit club at 5:59 AM ever since.
BATMAN & ROBIN from THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BATMAN
The Dynamic Duo's questionable relationship is legendary among scholars of subtext. From training in tight little shorts and tank tops in the Batcave to sliding down the batpole in perfect unison, these costumed crime fighters are a little too cozy to simply be buddies. (For more on the inner workings of Caped Crusaders' relationship, be sure to check out our collection of original comic book panels.EXPOSED: The (Not So) Secret Gay Life of Batman and Robin.)
BOW AND KOWL from SHE-RA: PRINCESS OF POWER
We're not saying Bow and Kowl were boyfriends exactly, but you don't need the knowledge of Grayskull to see these two queens were obviously gay besties. They'd often throw shade and read each other in the vein of Paris is Burning ("Because reading is fundamental.") but they obviously had a connection that ran deeper than those of the other bros in the Great Rebellion. Also, they fall all over themselves when Prince Adam first comes to Etheria and Bow wastes no time giving the beefy blonde a ride on his stallion. We're betting Kowl couldn't wait to have a kiki with his BFF the morning after the archer brought the Prince of Eternia back to the to the rebel camp for the night.
For more on the queer side of Etheria, read The 10 Gayest things about She-Ra.
SPONGEBOB & PATRICK STAR from SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
SpongeBob and Patrick would have us believe they're simply a couple of bros who hang under the sea, but there's definitely something fishy about this duo's underwater escapades. They dance and sing like a couple of theatre queens and never fail to hold one another tight when danger is on the horizon. Plus, they both starred in the SpongeBob SquarePants TV movie Truth or Square--an obvious nod to the classic Madonna flick. Who knew SpongeBob was such a fan of the Material Girl?
SKELETOR & HORDAK from SHE-RA: PRINCESS OF POWER
Talk about a bad romance! The villainous duo Skeletor and Hordak were obviously past lovers. They once lived together in Snake Mountain (yes, even the name of their humble abode was dripping with subtext) until Hordak ran off to another planet with the baby (Princess Adora) they planned to steal and raise together. Since Hordak was a military man, we're guessing the Horde Army had a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in place and the shape-shifting future nemesis of She-Ra didn't want to give up his career for his bone-faced boyfriend with abs of steal - which totally explains Skeletor's "Hell hath no fury..." type attitude each time he runs into his old flame.(For more on the queer side of Etheria, read The 10 Gayest things about She-Ra.)
ERIC RAYMOND AND TECHRAT from JEM
With his perfectly manicured nails, slim build, and affinity for fashion, there isn't anyone who wouldn't pick Eric Raymond off the homo tree in a second and though we don't think the scheming manager of the Misfits was really the relationship type, we're betting he and his "special friend" Techrat were spending more than a few nights together. Eric used any excuse he could to have Techrat around and while the gifted guy of gizmos hated to have people near him, he never seemed to mind sharing his personal space with Eric.
BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD
We're confident Beavis and Butt-Head would've come out of the closet by now, that is, if they were smart enough to figure out they were in there in the first place. Inseparable, both halves of this dimwitted duo are obsessed with penis ("Huh, huh, he said wood") and laugh uncontrollably around attractive women. Whether they're dining together ("Nachos rule!") or cuddling on the couch while they take in some TV, it's clear next to one another is the only place these teens want to be.