I must say that he never gave off a strong masculinity, that is for sure. But I thought him harmless, if a bit pathetically timid and treating children like they were pathetically timid. I was shy as a kid and I thought he was over the top.
I would not be surprised that he would be gay, just surprised it has never come out.
When I saw the swimming episode I thought it was highly immodest for a children’s show. Did anyone want to see Captain Kangaroo’s paunch hanging over his bathing trunks? Well, we didn’t want to see a naked Mr Rogers in his shower, either, nor see (undoubtably at HIS direction) the camera lovingly slide up and down his naked body underwater!!
I didn’t put much stock into what she said, but your description of the show made me remember and re-think it.
I have never heard of anyone saying anything about it besides her. That film could be damnng.