Over the years, children’s show Dora the Explorer has taught us a plethora of lessons. How to speak Spanish; how to share and be accepting of others; how to have a crush on big bad wolfmen… Wait, what was that last one?
A clip from Dora is making the rounds on social media, convincing the internet that a certain beloved character may in fact be part of the LGBTQ+ community. In the clip, Dora and her primate sidekick Boots come across the Big Bad Wolf, who’s singing a number all about himself (appropriately titled “I’m the Big Bad Wolf”). While watching the Big Bad Wolf, Boots gasps, lifts a hand to his cheek, and blushes bright red.
Folks were quick to assume that Boots was crushing on the Big Bad Wolf: “THE MONKEY’S A BISEXUAL???!!!” reads one viral post with more than 4.2 million views on X.
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WHAT IS HE DOING😭 pic.twitter.com/yhoQpySrXj
— FunkeeMunkee (FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸) (@AlliDalli2) September 2, 2024
Unfortunately, the viral clip isn’t quite accurate. In the actual episode of Dora, Boots didn’t blush. That detail was likely added by a fan, maybe to make him seem especially enamored with the Big Bad Wolf. But Boots’ slack-jawed expression and the demure hand on his cheek? Those come straight from the source: an episode of Dora the Explorer called “Dora Saves Fairytale Land.” Check it out for yourself below in the full episode around the 10:40 timestamp.
The blush was edited, but the fact that Boots just put his hand to his cheek always sends me 😭
— Funny Happy Studios (YT) (@FunnyHappyStud1) September 2, 2024
To be clear, Boots is depicted as a child in Dora — so if anything, he’s having his first celebrity crush. Just as many little gay boys crushed on Dora’s cousin Diego (guilty as charged), Boots could be learning what it feels like to get butterflies and not be sure why. Queer representation is still all too rare in animation, so we’ll take it where we can get it!
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