Headline of the Day

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Here's a good one:

Polish authorities probing if Teletubbies are gay

Here's the story:

Poland's child rights ombudsman said on Monday she was investigating whether "The Teletubbies," the British television show for infants, promotes homosexuality.

"It would be good for a group of psychologists to talk to children about this. We need to examine this. If inappropriate attitudes have been promoted, we need to react," said Ewa Sowinska.

In an interview with the weekly news magazine Wprost, Sowinska said the character Tinky Winky was in the spotlight.

The plump purple creature is considered male due to his relative height, but carries a handbag.

"I have heard that this could be a hidden homosexual insinuation," said Sowinska.

This begs certain questions: What exactly are "inappropriate attitudes"? What exactly needs to be examined? And what exactly would psychologists say to children about this "hidden homosexual insinuation"? Given "the emerging climate of racist, xenophobic and homophobic intolerance in Poland," as the European Parliament put it recently, one would be justified in thinking that no good will come of this.

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Update: BBC's headline -- Poland targets 'gay' Teletubbies.