Bert and Ernie, who've been on Sesame Street for 40 years, do not portray a gay couple, and there are no plans for them to do so in the future. They are puppets, not humans. Like all the Muppets created for Sesame Street, they were designed to help educate preschoolers. Bert and Ernie are characters who help demonstrate to children that despite their differences, they can be good friends For more information, see Are Ernie and Bert gay? on Muppet Wiki.