Many people upset over this, which I get. LGBTQ+ needs more representation; a lot of people looked up to them as such. I also see the value in this stance: male-male friendships can and tend to be toxic and bullying. I love to see platonic male relationships portrayed healthily.
As a young boy I was taught by other kids that teasing and bullying my male friends was how we bonded. It was painful. I’m very happy that there are male characters like Bert and Ernie that can tell each other “I love you” and mean it in a non-romantic way.
I don’t mean to imply this stance is better, or anything like that. All I mean to say is that this perspective too has value, and is not wholly reductive in representative quality.
