Ukraine says SpongeBob Squarepants may be gay
Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants floats down Broadway for the 84th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, 2010 in New York City. Scientists have named a mushroom in Borneo after SpongeBob SquarePants because of its sponge-like shape and bright color.
Did you wear your SpongeBob Squarepants costume to the Gay Pride festival this year? No? Because Ukraine watchdogs think that SpongeBob may be "promoting homosexuality," the Daily Mail reported.
The gay sponge allegations were made by a far-right Catholic group last week, but Ukraine officials are taking the issue seriously. Ukraine’s National Expert Commission for Protecting Public Morality, not a fun group to party with, announced that it was calling a special session to investigate the allegations, according to the Wall Street Journal.
More from GlobalPost: When the BRICs crumble
The report takes a number of hits against popular kids' shows and movies. In some of the odder accusations, the report says that the Shrek films contain "sadism" and that South Park promotes "reincarnation propaganda", according to the WSJ. Perhaps it's just the language barrier. Particularly harsh, if a bit accurate, is the report's description of a how a typical child looks when he watches the Teletubbies show: “an imbecile who will sit near the screen with an open mouth and swallow any information.”
Ukraine's morality commission may propose a countrywide ban on the accused shows, Ukraínskaya Pravda reported.
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.