Big Bird's Gender - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

sinatrastar · 06-12-2004, 02:41 PM

Is Big Bird from Sesame Street a female or male?

jamesanthony · 06-12-2004, 02:47 PM

Male, I believe, though now that you bring it up there is something androgynous about the character. He is supposed to be a child though.

I heard there were plans to have a gay muppet on this show, but I don't know if that was a wild rumor. Have any of the humans been androgynous or gay? Michael Jeter and Northern J Calloway both of whom died from AIDS were characters on the show in the past.

sinatrastar · 06-12-2004, 03:06 PM

Well I always was sure it was a girl, but I think one of the other puppets said 'he' when they were talking about Bird. I guess it has the same voice as the Grouch. That means none of the main characters are girls.

Mijada · 06-12-2004, 04:00 PM

I always thought he was a boy.

jamesanthony · 06-12-2004, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sinatrastar
Well I always was sure it was a girl, but I think one of the other puppets said 'he' when they were talking about Bird. I guess it has the same voice as the Grouch. That means none of the main characters are girls.

There's a companion book to the series that talks about the lack of female muppets. There is at least one now- Rosita but they have been mostly male. There was one years ago who was discontinued because of some political incorrectness issue which I can't remember.

Cashodeen · 06-12-2004, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony
There's a companion book to the series that talks about the lack of female muppets. There is at least one now- Rosita but they have been mostly male. There was one years ago who was discontinued because of some political incorrectness issue which I can't remember.

I can only think of one other regular that was a female--Zoe. A few others who weren't on a lot: Gaby, Frencheska, and Prairie Dawn (she was on more than the other two), and I think Prairie Dawn had a sister. But yes, that show ticked me off a bit because of the male dominance there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm 99% sure Big Bird is a male, but I can't think of any instances to name to prove it. When I was younger, I used to think he was a she, but I learned I was wrong.

jamesanthony · 06-12-2004, 05:02 PM

In the earlier years there was a blond braided muppet. Was that Prairie Dawn? There have always been a lot of human females though. Of those Maria seems the most prominent and the one with the most edge.

Cashodeen · 06-12-2004, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony
In the earlier years there was a blond braided muppet. Was that Prairie Dawn? There have always been a lot of human females though. Of those Maria seems the most prominent and the one with the most edge.

Here's a website that tells: http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutu...83&type=sesame

Betty Lou has the braids, and she looks identical to Prairie Dawn who has straight hair. I couldn't find any pictures of Betty Lou other than drawings, but here's Prairie Dawn (Just imagine her with braids, and you have Betty Lou!):

The website I got the picture has a typo because it says

Quote:

The difference between Betty Lou and Prairie Dawn is that Betty has bangs, and Prairie doesn't.

They must have meant "braids" not "bangs."

ConservativeBalla · 06-12-2004, 05:50 PM

This topic is an OUTRAGE! Gender-roles are artificial! You are a sexist homophobe!

j/k

Kazza · 06-12-2004, 06:39 PM

The one that wears the BB costume is a man; quite old BTW. He wears a special equipment on his neck to change his voice to a 'birds one'. I've always watched BB and never thought about the gender of that bird

TJL · 06-12-2004, 07:57 PM

I watched Sesame Street for years when I was a kid (okay, I still tune in on occasion) and I always thought of Big Bird as a male bird.

I believe other characters have referred to him as "he."

Brian · 06-12-2004, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony

I heard there were plans to have a gay muppet on this show, but I don't know if that was a wild rumor. Have any of the humans been androgynous or gay? Michael Jeter and Northern J Calloway both of whom died from AIDS were characters on the show in the past.

I haven't heard about a gay Muppet on the show but in 2002 a Muppet that was HIV positive was put into the African version of the series. There were never any plans to put it in the US version and as far as I know, there still isn't an HIV positive Muppet.

vienna waits · 06-12-2004, 08:58 PM

Well, Big Bird is played by a guy. He came and spoke at my sister's college.

sinatrastar · 06-12-2004, 11:11 PM

Thanks for all the info - looks like I was wrong about him being a her. He needs a testosterone shot or something...

Big Bird spoke at the college LOL, was the guy who does Ernie busy that day?

GeeBee · 06-13-2004, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Male, I believe, though now that you bring it up there is something androgynous about the character. He is supposed to be a child though.

I heard there were plans to have a gay muppet on this show, but I don't know if that was a wild rumor. Have any of the humans been androgynous or gay? Michael Jeter and Northern J Calloway both of whom died from AIDS were characters on the show in the past.

Northern J Calloway died of stomach cancer.

06-12-2004, 02:41 PM	#1
sinatrastar Indian Summer Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 22, 2003 Location: 78 W 86th St. Apt 3E Posts: 6,027	Big Bird's Gender Is Big Bird from Sesame Street a female or male?

06-12-2004, 05:50 PM	#9
ConservativeBalla R.I.P., Mr. Reagan. Senior Member Join Date: Jun 14, 2003 Location: 704 Hauser Street, Queens, New York; having an eating contest with Meathead eating Edith's beef stew. Posts: 1,822	This topic is an OUTRAGE! Gender-roles are artificial! You are a sexist homophobe! j/k
	__________________ Big Daddy: ...now you promise me you won't fret none. Dorothy: Well, I would, but I'm not exactly sure what "fret none" is.

06-12-2004, 07:57 PM	#11
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I watched Sesame Street for years when I was a kid (okay, I still tune in on occasion) and I always thought of Big Bird as a male bird. I believe other characters have referred to him as "he."
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

06-12-2004, 08:58 PM	#13
vienna waits avatars are stupid. Forum Superstar Join Date: May 18, 2001 Location: Ravenclaw Common Room Posts: 29,859	Well, Big Bird is played by a guy. He came and spoke at my sister's college.
	__________________ Me: Did you see Dunkleman in the audience at the finale? Crystal: No! Me: Yeah, that's because he wasn't invited.

06-12-2004, 02:47 PM	#2
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Male, I believe, though now that you bring it up there is something androgynous about the character. He is supposed to be a child though. I heard there were plans to have a gay muppet on this show, but I don't know if that was a wild rumor. Have any of the humans been androgynous or gay? Michael Jeter and Northern J Calloway both of whom died from AIDS were characters on the show in the past.

06-12-2004, 03:06 PM	#3
sinatrastar Indian Summer Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 22, 2003 Location: 78 W 86th St. Apt 3E Posts: 6,027	Well I always was sure it was a girl, but I think one of the other puppets said 'he' when they were talking about Bird. I guess it has the same voice as the Grouch. That means none of the main characters are girls.

06-12-2004, 04:00 PM	#4
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	I always thought he was a boy.

06-12-2004, 05:02 PM	#7
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	In the earlier years there was a blond braided muppet. Was that Prairie Dawn? There have always been a lot of human females though. Of those Maria seems the most prominent and the one with the most edge.

06-12-2004, 06:39 PM	#10
Kazza Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3,244	The one that wears the BB costume is a man; quite old BTW. He wears a special equipment on his neck to change his voice to a 'birds one'. I've always watched BB and never thought about the gender of that bird

06-12-2004, 11:11 PM	#14
sinatrastar Indian Summer Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 22, 2003 Location: 78 W 86th St. Apt 3E Posts: 6,027	Thanks for all the info - looks like I was wrong about him being a her. He needs a testosterone shot or something... Big Bird spoke at the college LOL, was the guy who does Ernie busy that day?