This is bizarre…and not fake news.
Boy George, the flamboyant, gay eighties pop star, has landed in a ton of trouble for comments about bisexuality that some gay activists reckon disrespect the same LGBTQ community that the Culture Club frontman has proudly been at the vanguard of for three decades.
The trouble arose when Boy George, who coincidentally made his debut Monday night as a contestant on the new “Celebrity Apprentice” poured lighthearted cold water over dubious claims by Fadi Fawaz, the boyfriend of Boy George’s late musical contemporary George Michael, that his Twitter account had been hacked after it posted messages that claimed Michael had committed suicide.
Inferring the George Michael suicide tweets from his boyfriend were in fact real, Boy George tweeted: “‘My computer got hacked’ is like ‘I’m bisexual’ or ‘I’m sniffing because I have allergies.'”
Retweeted Boy George (@BoyGeorge):
Ok. ‘My computer got hacked’ is like ‘I’m bisexual’ or ‘I’m sniffing because… https://t.co/9pj94XJH5F
— GHTR (@ghtalkradio) January 2, 2017
Cue a backlash from bisexual activists and groups that he was trivializing bisexuality:
My bisexual mother’s face when I told her what @BoyGeorge said was heartbreaking. She’s been a fan all my life, and longer.
— L (@monstrousfemme) January 2, 2017
@BoyGeorge as a long time bisexual fan I’m kind of hurt that you’d reduce my valid sexuality to a lie or joke.
— hannah ♏️ (@_wadeywiIson) January 2, 2017
@BoyGeorge but actual bisexuals were upset by your words. We have enough trouble getting the world to acknowledge our existence already.
— San Jose Left Shark (@kshandra) January 2, 2017
Just sick to my stomach. @BoyGeorge is biphobic. And cruel. https://t.co/iSzn59Ni1x
— The BiCast (@TheBiCast) January 2, 2017
Oh @BoyGeorge why are you being a bitch towards bisexuals? I would love to have a proper chat with you about bisexuality.
— HipsterAndré (@hipster_andre) January 2, 2017
@BoyGeorge you do realize bisexuals make up more than half the lgbtq community. might wanna realize that before you try & invalidate us 👍🏻
— ash ketchum (@memevibes) January 2, 2017
The man himself, who had a complicated history with George Michael, tried to have his cake and eat it. He deleted the offending Tweet but came out fighting against his detractors:
I love a bisexual. I ride a bicycle! https://t.co/9qXDSSmYcO
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) January 2, 2017
More steaming white rice!!!!! https://t.co/JxRIzRLURa
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) January 2, 2017
My tweet was not directed at you? How big is your ego right now? Lot’s of people use ‘bisexual’ when they really mean ‘gay. https://t.co/zWfS3PMe86
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) January 2, 2017
Bi-phobic? Yeah, of course. Suck my bigot toe! 🙂
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) January 2, 2017
Confusingly enough, in the past Boy George has himself tweeted he is bisexual and has been hacked:
I’m bisexual. I like all kinds of guys !
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) December 20, 2013
My account was hacked! Lol!
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) June 23, 2016