Poland Targets 'Gay' Teletubbies

BBC ^ | 5/28/2007 | Adam Easton

[ex-Texan]

A senior Polish official has ordered psychologists to investigate whether the popular BBC TV show Teletubbies promotes a homosexual lifestyle.

The spokesperson for children's rights in Poland, Ewa Sowinska, singled out Tinky Winky, the purple character with a triangular aerial on his head.

"I noticed he was carrying a woman's handbag," she told a magazine. "At first, I didn't realise he was a boy."

EU officials have criticised Polish government policy towards homosexuals.

Ms Sowinska wants the psychologists to make a recommendation about whether the children's show should be broadcast on public television.

Poland's authorities have recently initiated a series of moves to outlaw the promotion of homosexuality among the nation's children.

Tinky Winky's psychological evaluation is being treated fairly light-heartedly by many people here.

One radio station asked its listeners to vote for the most suspicious children's show. Some e-mailed in, saying that Winnie the Pooh had only male friends.

Even Ms Sowinska has backtracked a little, insisting that she does not believe the Teletubbies is a threat to the nation's children. But the evaluation is still going ahead and her office can recommend that the show should be taken off the air.

Poland was criticised recently after its education ministry announced plans to sack teachers who promote homosexuality.

Last month the European Union singled out Poland for criticism in its resolution condemning homophobia in the 27-member bloc.

[ex-Texan]

Er, uh, Tinky Wink is gay. I thought everybody was aware of that. But Winnie the Pooh, too? Perhaps Winnie is double gated and swings both ways. This is a BBC report after all. Oh, well . . . Nothing to see here. Time to move on.

[oakcon]

OK, anyone who slurs Winnie the Pooh needs to answer to me, besides, Kanga is his friend, and obviously a little boy, Christopher Robin, is going to have male stuffed animals for the most part.

RE: Teletubbies though, Jerry Falwell is grinning in Heaven.

[Thunder90]

[ex-Texan]

I must confess that I like Winnie, too.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

He Has No Authoriti!!

[weegee]

It was a gay publication that made the allegation that Tinky Winky was gay. It was brought to Falwell’s attention later.

[RichInOC]

Tinky Winky is not gay.

Now the Wiggles, on the other hand...

[RatPak]

I dunno Jerry Falwell said he was gay so......looks like there could be something true about it....:)

[britemp]

I think you’ll find that they are all hermaphrodites - aliens have no concept of gay or straight! :D

Certainly tinky-winky is far less gay than the kid who plays malcolm in the middle who is as bent as a nine bob note. . . . . ;-)

[George W. Bush]

Jerry Falwell forced TinkyWinky (just saying the name could turn a child into a sodomite!) out of the closet years back.

TinkyWinky is gay, gay, gay, gay, gay. Gay all the time, gayer than a Barbra Streisand album. My Gaydar pings like mad if I even see a picture of TinkyWinky.

[massgopguy]

Teletubbies will suck the brain out of a child’s head. The show was developed as therapy for addicts going through heroin withdrawals.

[AhOmEsChOoLeDmInD]

I very much agree on that. I have always seen that particular program to be very odd. That fact that the little red Tubby Has a purse? hmmmm. I also have some major reservations when it comes to other programs, namely some of the early child hood stuff. One is the Wiggles, another is Blues Clues. But to get back onto the issue, I have always felt that this particular program had some fruity flavors in it.