5 Shocking Reasons Why People Thought Barney The Dinosaur Was Gay (And The Actor’s Wild New Career)

The seemingly innocent, purple dinosaur Barney, star of the massively popular children's show Barney & Friends, has been the subject of intense scrutiny and bizarre rumors for decades, with the most persistent question being: was Barney gay? As of December 2025, no official text or statement from the show's creators suggests the character possesses a defined sexuality—Barney is, after all, a six-foot-tall, non-sentient dinosaur. However, the intensity of the speculation and the cultural backlash it inspired reveals far more about the anxieties of the 1990s audience than it does about the character itself. The rumor is a fascinating study in "queer coding" and non-traditional masculinity in children's media, a debate that has resurfaced with the announcement of the brand's 2024 animated reboot.

The controversy surrounding Barney's perceived sexuality is inextricably linked to the intense, almost violent hatred the character generated during his peak popularity. This phenomenon, which was explored in the 2022 documentary I Love You, You Hate Me, was fueled by the purple dinosaur’s non-masculine traits, his overt message of unconditional love, and the color purple itself, which has historical associations with the LGBTQ+ community. Furthermore, the surprising post-show career path of the actor who physically embodied the character has only added a sensational layer to the mythology, connecting the wholesome children's icon to a completely different, and quite controversial, adult industry.

The Men Behind the Purple: David Joyner and Bob West’s Biographies

To understand the "Was Barney Gay" question, one must separate the fictional character from the real people who brought him to life. Two primary actors were responsible for the iconic figure, and their profiles are essential to the Barney mythology.

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David Joyner (Costume Actor)

• Full Name: David Eugene Joyner.
• Born: July 4, 1963, in Decatur, Illinois.
• Role: He physically portrayed Barney in the costume from 1991 to 2001, covering the entirety of the original Barney & Friends run.
• Career Before Barney: Joyner was an engineering technologist for Texas Instruments before auditioning for the role.
• Post-Barney Career (The Shocking Twist): After leaving the show, Joyner became a certified Tantric Sex Therapist and spiritual energy healer. He runs a business called "The Tantra Harmony Temple" in Los Angeles. This controversial career pivot—from a children's icon to a practitioner of adult spiritual and sexual wellness—is often cited in discussions about the "dark side" of the show.

Bob West (Voice Actor)

• Full Name: Robert Matthew West.
• Born: June 25, 1956, in Finleyville, Pennsylvania.
• Role: West was the original and most famous voice of Barney the Dinosaur from 1988 to 2000.
• Other Work: He is also a voice actor for other characters, a singer, and a graphic designer. He has voiced characters for Chuck E. Cheese's, including Jasper T. Jowls and Pasqually P. Pieplate.
• Personal Controversy: While West’s personal life is generally private, he was the victim of a hoax in 1997 where a death threat was made against him, a disturbing incident that highlighted the intense hatred directed at the character.

The Cultural Roots of the 'Gay Barney' Rumor and Queer Coding

The question of Barney’s sexuality has less to do with the character's narrative and everything to do with how he was perceived by a segment of the adult audience. The speculation is a classic example of "queer coding"—the use of subtle, non-explicit characteristics to suggest a character is queer without officially confirming it.

1. Non-Traditional Masculinity

Barney's personality was a radical departure from traditional male children's characters of the time. He was overtly affectionate, non-aggressive, and focused on feelings, imagination, and sharing. This "feminine" or non-traditional presentation was seen by some as a challenge to established "white masculine" norms, leading to the assumption of a non-heterosexual identity. This resistance was a key driver of the intense, widespread anti-Barney movement.

2. The Significance of the Color Purple

The color purple has historically held significance within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in the 20th century. During the 1990s, this association was sometimes exploited by conservative groups to suggest characters like Barney (and later, Tinky Winky from Teletubbies) were promoting a "gay agenda." The combination of Barney's purple hue, pink belly, and gentle demeanor solidified this perception for critics.

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3. The Lack of a Defined Gender Role

Barney is a dinosaur. The show’s narrative, created by Sheryl Leach, focuses on friendship, learning, and imagination in the "Land of Imagination," not romance or adult relationships. By being completely devoid of a heterosexual partner or a traditional family structure, Barney exists outside of conventional gender and sexual roles, which, in the eyes of a curious or critical audience, left a void that was quickly filled by speculation.

The Dark Side of the Dinosaur: The Actors' Post-Show Realities

While the character Barney remains an icon of purity and love, the lives of the actors who played him, particularly David Joyner, have taken a sensational turn that further complicates the public's perception of the show. This is one of the most compelling reasons why the "Barney gay" rumor and the general "dark side" narrative persist.

The Tantric Sex Therapist Connection

David Joyner, the man inside the massive purple suit for over a decade, is now a prominent figure in the world of Tantra. His business involves providing tantric massage and spiritual healing, which he describes as "energy work." This revelation, which gained widespread media attention, created a jarring contrast between the wholesome, asexual children's character and the adult, sexual nature of the actor's current profession. This real-life twist fuels the public's fascination with the show's underlying secrets.

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The 'I Love You, You Hate Me' Documentary

The 2022 Peacock docuseries, I Love You, You Hate Me, brought the entire controversy—the intense hatred, the rumors, and the actors' strange post-show lives—back into the spotlight. The documentary explored how the backlash against Barney was a form of early internet extremism and how the character's non-masculine traits were a key source of the hostility. By giving a platform to the critics and the actors, the documentary solidified the rumor as a permanent piece of pop culture history.

The Verdict on Barney's Sexuality and the 2024 Reboot

The definitive answer to "was Barney gay" is that the character has no defined sexuality, as he is a children's character designed to be a surrogate friend and teacher, not a romantic figure. The entire debate is a case study in how cultural anxieties about gender, sexuality, and non-traditional masculinity can be projected onto a public figure, even a fictional purple dinosaur.

The recent announcement of the Barney 2024 animated reboot by Mattel ensures that the character will be reintroduced to a new generation, and with him, the decades-old rumors and cultural debates. The new version of Barney, described as "modernized," will inevitably be scrutinized through the lens of modern social issues and representation. The original character’s perceived "queer coding" paved the way for more nuanced discussions about gender in children's television, making the innocent purple dinosaur an unlikely, yet powerful, symbol in the history of media controversy.

Ultimately, the enduring rumor about Barney’s sexuality says less about the dinosaur and more about the audience's discomfort with a male figure who championed kindness, gentleness, and unconditional love over traditional masculine aggression. The sensational real-life stories of the actors, particularly David Joyner’s unexpected career as a tantric sex therapist, simply provide a fascinating, dark-humored coda to the legend of the world’s most hated and most loved purple dinosaur.