22 Years After Tinky Winky 'Scandal,' Teletubbies Come Out With 'Pride Collection'

It's been more than two decades since televangelist Jerry Falwell, clutching at rainbow-colored straws, claimed one of the Teletubbies – Tinky Winky, the purple one with the triangular antenna – is gay. Now the children's show icons have come out all on their own... with a Pride-themed streetwear collection, that is.

May 20 marked the release of the Teletubbies Pride Collection, which, according to Yahoo! News, offers "a handful of '90s-vintage-vibe fashion looks... with proceeds to benefit nonprofit LGBTQ media monitor GLAAD."

The company behind the colorful characters, WildBrain Ltd., issued a press release announcing that the primary-colored foursome would be "celebrating their rainbow-colored diversity and love of Big Hugs" this Pride season.

"This Pride Month, the iconic Teletubbies brand is celebrating the importance of self-expression and acceptance in a unique and uplifting way, while giving back to create change," GLAAD's Senior Director of Business Development & Integrated Marketing John McCourt said in the release.

As it is described, the collection "is centered around two themes - 'Big Hugs, Big Love' and 'Teletubbies Love Pride'" and includes fashions referencing the Teletubbies' "signature colors and antennae shapes."

It only took a combination of color and shape – plus a red handbag – to prompt Falwell to pen a now-infamous piece for the National Liberty Journal, titled "Parents Alert: Tinky Winky Comes Out of the Closet," zeroing in on the character's hue and headpiece.

"He is purple – the gay pride color, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle – the gay pride symbol," Falwell writes in the 1999 article, citing those characteristics as "evidence that the creators of the series intend Tinky Winky to be a gay role model."

Falwell also claimed Tinky Winky had "become a favorite character among gay groups worldwide." As further proof of the character's LGBTQ credentials, Falwell pointed to Tinky Winky's voice – "obviously that of a boy" – and fretted that the Teletubby "has been found carrying a red purse."

The article prompted more in the way of chuckles than crusades, however, once the mainstream media took up the story. According to a spokesperson, Itsy Bitsy Entertainment – the company that licensed the British show for American distribution – scoffed that "the fact that he carries a magic bag doesn't make him gay. It's a children's show, folks."

Described by WildBrain Ltd. as "both iconic and nostalgic," the '90s-style Pride Collection includes "a bucket hat, sling bag, muscle tee and tube socks" and "a limited quantity of bespoke, made-to-order two-piece suits."

Fans looking to complete their ensemble with a red handbag will have to look elsewhere, sadly, since no such accessory is included in the inaugural Teletubbies Pride Collection.