A sincere apology is always good. But when it comes to homophobic slurs, it’s hard for me to forgive and forget.
Homosexuality has been on the mind of many this week. As President Obama spoke at an LGBT gala fundraiser in New York last week, saying his views on same-sex marriage are “evolving” just days before it was legalized in the state, other public figures found themselves begging for forgiveness after offending many but mostly the gay community.
Tracy Morgan, the “30 Rock” star and “Saturday Night Live” alum, apologized yet again for his violent rant June 3. At the Nashville Convention Center, he said he would “pull out a knife and stab” his son if he talked to him in a “gay voice.”
As a gay man, I was offended by Morgan’s remarks. Mostly because, as a closeted gay, one of the biggest events I dreaded was telling my parents my secret. The “gay voice” I was born with was and still is embarrassing, especially in front of my family members, and Morgan poking fun at that was hurtful, not funny.
Morgan returned to Nashville last week, after teaming up with GLAAD and other LGBT organizations, to publicly apologize for what he called a joke gone too far.
“I don’t have a hateful bone in my body,” Morgan said. That’s hard to believe now.
He also downgraded the issue of bullying gay youth, after months of “It Gets Better” videos, teenage suicides and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” If Morgan’s comments aren’t a huge step backwards for gay equality and equal rights, I don’t know what is.
Morgan is not alone. Other musicians landed in hot water last week.
Chris Brown, who is famous for bad headlines, used racial and homophobic slurs at photographers after getting a parking ticket. He apologized quickly afterward via Twitter, but this isn’t the first time it’s happened. He also got in trouble for using homophobic language on Twitter back in December.
“A person should not have to apologize every second …” Brown tweeted last week. To borrow a trending topic that day, “#chrisbrownneedsto…” learn that when you stop making stupid moves, you can stop making apologies.
I couldn’t agree more with what the Human Rights Campaign told TMZ: “… invoking words to demean gay Americans is just plain unacceptable.” After all of the second chances Brown has had, you’d think he’d learn.
Country star and “The Voice” judge Blake Shelton also had to apologize for a joke he tweeted.
“[sic] Re-writing my fav Shania Twain song … Any man that tries touching my behind he’s gonna be a beaten, bleedin’, heaving kind of guy.” (The real lyrics of the song are “Any man of mine better walk the line. Better show me teasin’, squeezin’, pleasin’ kinda time.”)
After GLAAD said what he said could be seen as threatening and violent, Shelton apologized for “the misunderstanding.” And for the record, I don’t know any gay man who would just grab a straight’s rear end. Shelton has nothing to worry about and has fallen victim to one of the biggest gay stereotypes.
Apologies are one thing, but completely altering behavior is where you earn respect. Whether they asked for it or not, Morgan, Brown and Shelton are public figures, and what they do affects those who follow them. Such celebrities should watch what they say a little more and think about who they may be offending. Minorities go through enough.
I’m sure sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Joakim Noah, who have been fined for anti-gay slurs in the past couple of months, are thinking twice before opening their mouths. Morgan, Brown and Shelton should take note.
