How do they know tinky winky is male? Do teletubbies have genitalia?

I don't know about a pro-gay agenda, but that show creeps me out, what with the screaming sun-baby et. al.

Aside from that, has anyone else ever noticed that the show is apparently based on H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" (hint: the teletubbies are the Eloi)? I don't think anyone involved with the show ever officially mentioned the connection, but I can't help but see the reference!

SDstuck beat me to the punch--all gender-norming aside, HAVE we ever established that teletubbies are of a certain gender? does gender even exist in teletubby land? (asexual teletubbies!)

If only we didn't feel the need to assign certain accessories to specific genders, we wouldn't have these problems...

I remember reading about this back in the day. Apparently the "purse" isn't a "purse" at all but a "magic bag." *shrug*
It does look an awful lot like a purse, though--specifically the sort of thing my grandmother would lug around. If Tinky-Winky actually were gay, surely he'd be carrying something more fashionable? Gucci, or Prada, or something?

BarbaraP - It's not the screaming sun-baby that creeps me out--it's the freakishly large bunny rabbits! Bunnies should not be waist-high. They just...shouldn't.

Actually, the only clue anyone would have about the gender of the Teletubbies comes from the narrator, who identifies LaLa and Po as female and Dipsy and Tinky Winky as male.

Very early on children develop a sense of what characteristics or attributes they should associate with each gender. If Teletubbies does anything to broaden children's ideas of what is "acceptable" or "normal" for boys or girls to do, to have, or to look like, then that just freakin' rocks.

I genuinely never understood how an article of clothing could affect one's sexual preferences. Is it really that fragile?

Frankly, I know a lot of little boys who grow up to be straight who like playing with purses, heels, and dress up clothes when they're toddlers. They're called "boys who have big sisters". Maybe Tinky Winky carries a bag so that little boys who do play with their sister's things can feel better about it. Also, bags are very useful for carrying your totally straight and macho 'action figures' (dolls) in. Hell, even Dipsy's "special toy" is dress up clothes, it's a giant cow-spotted hat.

At least they haven't started in on the triangle head-antenna the way Falwell did. People got way too much time on their hands.

I know I'm a complete weirdo, but I love the Teletubbies. The show is just so bizarre. I used to watch it after school & I noticed that it would kind of numb my brain.
The baby in the sun is super freaky. I like to imagine that it's a god-figure for the Teletubbies & when it's happy they're happy. I heard that the rabbits are bred to be extra large.
I like Tinky Winky's purse. I'm surprised no one's gone after Dipsy's cow-printed hat that looks like he stole it from Slash from Guns & Roses.
This reminds me of an episode of Malcolm in the Middle. The youngest brother, Dewey, loses or breaks his backpack & his mom won't buy him another & tells him to find something from the closet. He finds this Mary Poppins-esque carpetbag & starts using that, even though everyone in the family tells him not to, that he'll get beat up. Dewey insists he likes it. I don't remember how it ends, I think some bullies try to beat him up but he fights back with his bag.

I remember back when Falwell was first going on about Tinky Winky there was an op-ed piece in the paper that said that actually, Tinky Winky was obviously a televangelist. Purple is a royal color associated with Jesus, the triangle stood for the trinity, and the "purse" was actually for collecting offerings.

Question... was there ever any similar controversy about Ernie and Bert from Sesame Street? I don't remember it, I just loved the show. Just seems strange that one would be targeted while the other not.

If Bert and Ernie were not already so established, you know someone would pitch a fit about these two, uh, men? living together in a long-term relationship. I think they are a little untouchable now, though. I hope. Perhaps until the new Falwell hits the scene.

Spongebob and Patrick did not fare so well, however.

I remember reading about this back in the day. Apparently the "purse" isn't a "purse" at all but a "magic bag."

All gender stereotypes aside, what, pray tell, is so "gay" about a man carrying around a bag?

I swear, this is one of the reasons I'm buying my future son a doll. I'm going to do whatever I can to stop all of these gender fucking stereotypes.

Seriously people do have WAY too much time!

Aww, poor spongebob probably feels left out...
I also read that they were trying to pass laws that would make it illeagal for teachers to promote the 'gay lifestyle' in school. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go bang my head against the wall.

Actually, there was a fit pitched about Bert and Ernie. That's why Bert "took a long trip" at some point, but I think he's back on the show now.

Sorry if I'm wrong, but I thought the purple triangle was used by Nazis to signify Jehovah's Witnesses, not gays. I thought that was a *pink* triangle.