Is Winnie the Pooh Transgender or Intersex?

Winnie the Pooh, the beloved animated bear that has delighted children worldwide, has been banned from a playground in Tuszyn, Poland, because the city council there believes the bear is either transgender, intersex, or gay. According to The Independent, Winnie was being considered as the new famous character that would adorn the city's new playground, when "the idea soon sparked outrage among more conservative members, with one councilor even calling the Pooh bear a 'hermaphrodite.'"

The meeting was secretly recorded by a (presumably more liberal) city council member then leaked to local media. The Independent reported council member Ryszard Cichy saying, "The problem with that bear is it doesn't have a complete wardrobe. It is half naked which is wholly inappropriate for children. [Poland's fictional bear] is dressed from head to toe, unlike Pooh who is only dressed from the waist up."

Another council member, Hanna Jachimska, also attacked the creator of Winnie the Pooh, author AA Milne, lambasting, "This is very disturbing, but can you imagine, the author was over 60 and cut [Pooh's] testicles off with a razor blade because he had a problem with his identity."

In the end, the council officially dismissed the bear because of Pooh's "dubious sexuality" and "inappropriate" dress. No word yet on who they'll choose instead, but you can bet it'll be wearing pants.