“I really feel that the undercover gay guys that LOOK str8 should wear a bright wristband. Cuz this isn’t really fair. Timbs, caps, vests?” wrote Raymond.
After the tweet spread, Raymond immediately began to feel the backlash of angry Twitter fans. However, Raymond attempted to clarify her statement, saying that she wasn’t referring to all gay men, just the ones who are closeted and then defended her freedom to tweet.
“something I say STAND UP 4 it, but defensiveness is often associated with guilt. Again, my opinion..but Guilt why? Guilt usually=wrongdoing,” she wrote.
Some are speculating that Raymond’s tweet was about her ex-husband, Usher, who has long denied rumors that he is gay, but that theory hasn’t been confirmed.
And although it’s understandable that Raymond would be frustrated by “the closet” or “the down low” in the dating scene and in regards to her sexual health, her words also minimize the lives and appearances of gay and bisexual men to that of the stereotype that’s been attached to them for years, that of a brightly colored, effeminate gay man who’s lack of masculinity is non-threatening. In today’s society, one would hope that the cause of the “the closet,” homophobia, would be the thing people would tackle, instead of attempting to limit the freedom and lives of other communities.
Though Raymond’s words are clearly confidential, it’s not the first time a celebrity has voiced their opinion on the gay community. Check out six other dynamic celeb quotes about the LGBT community below. –nicholas robinson
