January 18, 2007
| GLAAD is Mad |
The Gay Right’s group GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has finally confronted “Grey’s Anatomy” star Isaiah Washington about his anti-gay comments after Monday Night’s Golden Globe Awards.
Washington who was already embroiled in a hate-speech scandal last year when he called gay co-star T.R. Knight the “f-word” and then started a fist fight with his straight co-star, Patrick Dempsey.
We had hoped Washington had learned his lesson, but then this past Monday Washington decided to use the f-word again … in a denial of ever using it in the first place.
"No, I did not call (co-star) T.R. (Knight) a faggot," Washington told reporters. "Never happened, never happened."
But it did … more than once. See this item from our sister site “outzonetv.com” where T.R. Knight talks about the “f-word” incident with Washington.
According to the AP, Neil Giuliano, president of GLAAD, contacted Washington’s representatives in hopes of meeting to discuss the anti-gay slurs.
"Washington's repeated use of it on-set and in the media is simply inexcusable," Giuliano said in a statement.
Big shock, there are gay people working here at Bravo. And some of us are a little baffled by this. Doesn’t Washington get it? Using the F-word for gay men is the same as using the N-word to an African American person. Clear and simple: it’s hate speech. It’s a tool to exclude and diminish.
At this point whether Washington agreed to meet with GLAAD is anyone’s guess. The AP reports his publicist refused to comment on the incident.
For more on this visit our gay-little-brother-site, OUTzonetv.com
You would think Isaiah would be more sensitive, taking into consideration there may be a possibility he has experienced ignorance and racism at some point in his life. Sad, very sad indeed.
Why is this man still on the show, if a co-actor had used the N word he would have been fired, yet he is still on the show. I will not watch it and I suggest other Queer and allies also voice outrage
I do agree that no one should call people names but the truth of the matter is many people still believe that homosexuality is morally wrong and just not a lifestyle that they agree with. He should not have called him a name but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Even though it is a bad name to call a person it is in no way the same as being called the "N" word.
The F Word started off as meaning a "bundle of sticks" and the N word means someone that is ignorant. People let words have too much control over them. Just because someone calls you a name does that make you what that person calls you? This is not an issue about gay or straight or black or white but the lack of respect between two individuals. People need to learn how to solve issues among themselves and stop letting the media turn everything that someone says into a circus. Last, but not least if you called someone a name at least be accountable for what you said if you said.
If I may the “n” word and the “f” word have no commonalities. I am sometimes behoove at the attempt to link African American struggles and slavery with that of gay rights because there is no commonality; the two are vastly different and should not be compared. What Washington said is ugly and does show his lack of impartiality to those that he perceives different in their sexuality. Washington has agreed to seek help along with his apology and seeking help and learning how to be sensitive to those that are different in their sexuality is the first step. The “f” word is used by many in the enterainment industry including comedians, is GLAAD seeking apologies from them too? Clearly vast amounts of people still struggle with those that are gay yet it doesn’t excuse name calling but there needs to be an understanding on both sides even though one or many may not agree to homosexuality.
Since that's the case gay people should ALSO 'apologize' for THEIR hateful comments towards blacks if I can even mention that.
Washington offered an apology and agreed to get help in dealing with his apathy toward homosexuals. No way should Washington be fired this is the entrainment industry and people have used derogatory words in films for years. Plus Washington is under contract and would guess it would not be that easy in the concept of just “firing” him from Grey's Anatomy. I have yet to see any individual fired or dismissed from a movie or television show for using the “N” world. Sadly both humiliating words are still used often today yet I don’t agree that the “*aggot” word is in the same realm as the “N” word; vast difference due to the forced slavery of a race that fought to be consider humans and not property.
The plight is very different in the concept of race and an individual in his or her sexuality. The media will certainly keep feeding the fire on this issue and I think it has more to do with the race of Washington then anything else. There have been comedians that use the word and I have yet to hear anyone make a ruckus. If you do it for one you should do it for all because not to; can dismiss ones accountability to addressing the issues of homosexuals. I think the conflict is between two men that can have a constructive and informative resolution; leading to an understanding of differences of opinions about sexual preferences.