Rev. Jerry Falwell made headlines last week by alleging that one of the Teletubbies, Tinky Winky, was gay.

Falwell made his statements in the February edition of the National Liberty Journal, under the headline “Parents Alert: Tinky Winky Comes Out of the Closet.”

“He is purple — the gay-pride color, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle — the gay-pride symbol,” Falwell was quoted as saying. “As a Christian, I feel that role modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children.”

Falwell also pointed out that Tinky Winky has a male voice but carries a purse.

Steve Rice, spokesman for Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company, which produces “The Teletubbies,” defended the show in a statement.

“The fact that he carries a magic bag doesn’t make him gay,” Rice stated. “To think we would be putting sexual innuendo in a children’s show is kind of outlandish. To out a Teletubby in a preschool show is kind of sad on his part. I really find it absurd and kind of offensive.”

Rice is not alone in his dismay at the remarks made by Falwell.

Joan Herwig, associate professor of human development and family studies, said she was “startled and amazed” at Falwell’s statement.

Herwig said that among preschoolers, the show’s intended audience, sexual orientation is not an issue.

“[In preschoolers], we’re not so concerned with sexual preference as we are with gender identity,” she said.

Herwig said she believes the Teletubbies are a positive thing for children to be exposed to.

“We think it’s important for all children to nurture,” Herwig said. “[Teletubbies] look soft, like they are fabric covered. We think that’s valuable for young children.”

Other people have voiced support for the show.

Dan Peterson, owner of the Play and Learn Day Care Center, said his two children, ages 2 and 3, enjoy the show.

“The structure of the show seems to be guided towards two- and three-year-olds,” Peterson said. “I think people are inferring more into this than they should be.”

Mary Bracken, programming and outreach coordinator for Iowa Public Television, said some people have contacted the station with questions about the show.

“We’ve received a few calls — a handful,” she said. “Some are a little upset by Falwell’s claims and looking for verification.”

Bracken said Falwell’s statement also has led to some positive feedback from viewers.

“We’ve received quite a few calls of support,” she said. “Many of them wanted to let us know their children enjoy the show and thought this would be the time to tell us.”

This is not the first time questions have been raised about the sexuality of a children’s television character, Bracken said.

“These things come in cycles,” she said. “There was a cycle where people would decide that Bert and Ernie were gay. I hope this one dies quickly and doesn’t become a cycle.”

Herwig said any time questions dealing with sexual identity are raised with young children, it may be dangerous.

“We have to be very cautious about imposing adult understandings on children,” Herwig said. “[Adults] think about making statements about sexual awareness, but that’s not a part of young children’s thinking. We must be very careful.”