Of course, Tinky Winky’s sexuality shouldn’t matter to anyone: since Teletubbies debuted in 1997, he’s happily been minding his business in Teletubbyland while cultivating gay icon status for his uninhibited gender non-conforming antics, alongside co-stars Dipsy, LaLa and Po. Despite teaching children the power of being yourself, Tinky Winky has previously come under fire from the Christian right for his fierce fashion sense. So what’s the story so far? Since the Teletubbies sashayed onto screens in March 1997, Tinky Winky’s identity has been dissected by fans and critics alike. Consider the evidence offered by the evangelical preacher Jerry Falwell: “He is purple: the gay pride colour, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle: the gay-pride symbol.” Falwell neglected to mention Tinky Winky’s signature red handbag, presumably because he was busy fuming over his belief that “role modelling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children”. The closest we had come to a ...