'Arthur' character Mr. Ratburn came out as gay and got married in the season premiere

By: CNN

Posted: May 14, 2019 7:11 AM CST

Mr. Ratburn from the kids' show "Arthur" came out as gay in the new season's premiere.

By Christina Maxouris, CNN

(CNN) -- PBS animated series "Arthur" is back for its 22nd season and the kids' show kicked off with a wedding.

In the episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," the title character's third-grade teacher, Mr. Ratburn, marries another male character.

"It's a brand new world!" one of the students says during the wedding.

Fans of the show on Twitter were quick to express their surprise, both that the teacher is gay and that the show -- a cultural touchstone for many millennials -- is still running.

GLAAD even congratulated the teacher.