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Media Misses the Point in SpongeBob "Outing"
by Sarah Webber, March 3, 2005

SpongeBob Squarepants has gotten quite a bit of attention in unexpected places of late. Previously confined to children’s entertainment, the ever-cheerful cartoon sponge now has a political role. For the left, he has been transformed into a symbol of the religious right’s silliness. The New Yorker ran a cartoon in its February 14th and 21st issue depicting SpongeBob and his starfish friend Patrick. Patrick holds a card, and the caption below reads, “It’s a very sweet note from Batman and Robin.”

The most recent installment of the comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For” has one frame with an adult magazine in the background featuring SpongeBob posing on the cover.

Attributing a sexual identity to this character makes a good joke at James Dobson’s expense. The joke is that this foolish old man, consumed with anti-gay paranoia, “outed” a cartoon sponge. As with Jerry Falwell and Tinky-Winky, it highlights the ridiculous, reactionary side of religious homophobia, transforming the political threat of James Dobson and his organization’s influence into a harmless anecdote to be rejected at will and recalled only when needed to mock the religious right.

It feels safe and sounds good, but this transformation actually obscures a darker truth.

The statements behind this episode occurred in January 2005, while Dr. Dobson was speaking in Washington during inauguration week. He mentioned that the We Are Family Foundation is distributing a video, featuring SpongeBob and other children’s television characters, for use in many public and private elementary schools for “We Are Family Day” on March 11. The cause for concern is the “pro-homosexual” content of the lesson plans that go along with the video (his words). Dobson says that the foundation took down some of the queer-friendly teachers’ guides after the controversy first gained media attention. To be fair, the website does have links labeled “Guides/Activities for Parents” and “Guides/Activities for Teachers” that no longer work. However, Dobson also singles out the tolerance pledge that is still available. According to the foundation’s web site, this is the pledge that accompanies the video:

Tolerance is a personal decision that comes from a belief that every person is a treasure. I believe that America's diversity is its strength. I also recognize that ignorance, insensitivity and bigotry can turn that diversity into a source of prejudice and discrimination.

To help keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own.

In his newsletter, Dobson analyzes this pledge in terms of a conspiracy:

The words "sexual identity" in that last sentence hold the key to understanding what is going on here. They reveal a very clever and subtle intent lying below the water line. The stated purpose, as we have seen, is to teach children to respect each other and to accept those who are different. We are entirely supportive of that message. I have been teaching it for years. There appears to be another agenda operating here, however, that has serious implications for your kids. Quite simply, it is to desensitize very young children to homosexual and bisexual behavior.

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