Chris Brown is, once again, in hot water with the LGBT community after reports revealed that Brown shouted anti-gay slurs during a recent pickup game of basketball. Now, the gay rights organization The Human Rights Campaign is weighing in on the incident, criticizing Brown for his offensive language.
According to RadarOnline, On June 29, Brown appeared at a 24-hour fitness center in Los Angeles and joined in on a pickup game of basketball. Things seemed to start off well enough, but according to an eyewitness, things went downhill when Brown became increasingly irate and began hurling gay slurs at his fellow players.
“He got really ticked off when things didn’t go his way during the game, saying, ‘That’s gay!’ and ‘You’re a f—-t a–!’ to the other players,” said the witness.
The source also claims that Brown got in the face of one player and berated him for missing a shot. And when another player failed to pass him the ball, Brown shot off even more gay slurs, calling him a “f—-t” and saying it was a “gay” move.
“There was no physical contact, but he was verbally aggressive,” notes the source. “His demeanor was over the top.”
According to the witness, Brown’s bodyguard threatened to kick out any gym members who took pictures of the star, further angering the already stunned onlookers.
In a recent interview with RadarOnline, Michael Cole-Schwartz, the communications director of the HRC, is sharing his opinion on the incident and explaining why Brown’s slurs should not be excused or tolerated.
“These kinds of slurs are just unacceptable,” said Cole-Schwartz. “To demean gay people is encouraging others to engage in the same behavior. These kinds of slurs are unfortunately heard on playgrounds and even from figures in popular culture. We need to become more serious about it and stop it.
“When words like these are so commonly used they become acceptable and that’s not right. One of the reasons why these slurs have become so common in schools and other places is because role models, like Chris Brown, engage in these activities and use these words. It needs to stop.”
While it’s clear that Brown is an easy target under the immensely watchful eye of the media, perhaps it’s time for Brown and other stars to simply learn that gay slurs aren’t acceptable and that “gay,” like any other term used to describe a community of people, is not a synonym for horrible. –nicholas robinson
