It was revealed that the first gay characters to appear on Cartoon Network had to be censored in order to get the greenlight from network heads.

We’ve seen plenty of gay characters in adult cartoons – whether it be “Big Gay” Al in South Park, or Waylon Smithers in The Simpsons. However, for the first time, a gay couple will feature in kids cartoon Clarence which airs on Cartoon Network.

Though it’s a step in the right direction, the show’s writer Spencer Rothbell revealed that a scene in which the couple kiss on the lips and exchange flowers, had to be changed to a simple kiss on the cheek in order to get approved by the network.

He said, “It’s such a minor throwaway moment, but I guess it’s better than nothing. Maybe one day the main character can be gay and it won’t be a big deal.”

Watch the clip below: