People are discovering Mr. Rogers was bisexual and it’s amazing

Thanks to a viral tweet, people across the world are learning that Mr. Rogers was bisexual. The reactions have been a sight to behold and incredibly heartwarming.

It all started on Sunday (3 March) when Cece Ewing posted about her grandmother dropping the bombshell information on her.

Since then, users have been replying with reactions of shock, glee, and excitement.

‘Wildest thing that’s happened to me lately is when I went to talk to my grandmother and she was like “did you know Mr. Rogers was bisexual?”‘ she first tweeted. ‘And my gay ass, gay of the family, Miss Family Homosexual had to be like “he was WHAT?”‘

The original viral tweets | Photo: Twitter @CeceEwing_

Ewing goes on to explain her grandmother came across this knowledge when she read Maxwell King’s 2018 biography of Rogers, The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers.

While Rogers never used the label ‘bisexual’, he did express his sexual attraction as fluid.

This being the internet, other users came to the rescue with screenshots of the biography and exact quote. One user, @GabrielLunesce, posted a screencap of the passage from Google Books.

Screenshot of the Mr. Rogers biography | Photo: Twitter @GabrielLunesce

Reportedly, Mr. Rogers discussed his attraction to people with his friend and openly gay doctor, William Hirsch.

Rogers allegedly said if sexuality was on a one to ten scale, he would be ‘right smack in the middle’. He also said he has found both men and women attractive.

Translated to the six-point Kinsey scale, this makes Mr. Rogers — in a more modern interpretation — bisexual.

All the glorious reactions

People couldn’t believe this revelation and responded accordingly.

And not just that he was, but that he was willing to say that he was. What a mensch.

— Winter Maiden (@Winter_Maiden) March 5, 2019

WHAT. Be still my bi heart

— Anna M. Goldberg ECCC 2019 (@Nymeria941) March 4, 2019

Some lamented they were only finding out about this knowledge now. Others chimed in saying it was bi erasure and also that some view sexuality as ‘inappropriate’ for children.

Prrrrrobably because a lot of people think any info or knowledge on attraction to the same sex is “inappropriate for children.”

— Rhiannon (@sextoyspolitics) March 5, 2019

Others praised this as important representation for the bi community.

Honest proof that bisexuals are too good for this world.

— Sierra (@nafmas95) March 6, 2019

His bisexuality just makes his fascination with people all the more heartwarming. Everyone was special and attractive to him, man or woman. His non-traditional masculinity is something we could all learn from.

— Papa Greer (@thecryptic27) March 6, 2019

a bi icon pic.twitter.com/3zatK2zMRu

— libby (@libbywienky) March 5, 2019

20BiTeen is real.

See also

This is why you need to come out as bisexual to your doctor

Gay and lesbian singers need to stop validating biphobic attitudes

Sara Ramirez pushes the positivity at start of BiHealthMonth