At least one Houston man is not happy with Beyoncé right now.
HuffPo blogger Carlos Maza claims it “kills him” to write it, especially since he’s “spent more time worshiping Beyoncé than just about any other pop star,” but he is incredibly disappointed in the singer, and he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to forgive her.
“Over the past few months,” Maza writes, “Beyoncé has repeatedly refused the opportunity to speak out against the legalization of discrimination against LGBT people in her hometown.”
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He’s talking about the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which prohibited discrimination in matters of housing and employment on the basis of more than a dozen different characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity. On Tuesday, Houston voters choose to repeal that law, effectively legalizing discrimination.
In his nearly 1,500-word rant, Maza calls into question Beyoncé’s alleged support of her LGBTQ fans. He begins by writing about the time he called upon her to “make a single Instagram post in support of HERO” in a blog post he published back in August.
Related: Beyonce Is Really A 40-Year-Old Man, And Other Reasons Celebs Hate The “How-Old” Site
“With fifty million followers, she has one of the most influential social media presences in the world,” Maza writes. “A single post from her would have motivated young voters to the polls, focused national attention on the fight over HERO, and dramatically reframed the narrative.”
The hashtag #BeyBeAHERO was established to encourage the singer to get involved. It received more than 10 million impressions.
“But despite repeated requests for help from HERO supporters in Houston,” Maza says. “Beyoncé declined to comment.” Instead, he continues, “I watched her post images from her Vogue cover shoot.”
Over the next several weeks, Maza waited with bated breath for Beyoncé to post her support of HERO to Instagram. But the post never came.
Related: 24 Hours After Legalizing Discrimination, Houston Is Already Feeling The Backlash
“One night, I found myself lying on the grass in a park by my apartment, distraught,” he recalls. “I had done everything I knew how to do to get Beyoncé’s team to react. I had bugged every reporter friend, forwarded every press hit, tweeted incessantly. I had given it my best shot. And I was starting to feel like a failure.”
“On Instagram,” he writes, “I watched Beyoncé post a photo of a pizza.”
When HERO was voted down on Tuesday, Maza says it was “probably one of hardest things I’ve had to experience.” He was left “devastated,” and that devastation was only made worse by what Beyoncé did next.
“On Instagram, I watched a video of Beyoncé posing silently in front of an American flag,” he writes. “I can’t believe she didn’t say something.”
“Beyoncé had a golden opportunity to oppose an active effort to legalize discrimination against LGBT Houstonians,” he continues. “It wouldn’t have taken more than a single Instagram post.”
“She didn’t.”
Related: Boy Has Wisdom Teeth Removed, Can’t Cope With Beyonce Not Showing Up To Congratulate Him
Joseph Molnar
abandoning?!?! What the hell do we need her for?!?!
Paul Fucetola
Sashay away Beyoncé!
Arron Taylor Ganues
It’s not like gays rely on her. Is she our sponsor or something?
Joseph Molnar
“Beyoncé has repeatedly refused the opportunity to speak out against the legalization of discrimination against LGBT people in her hometown.â?
WTF??? Why does she HAVE TO?!?!? Is this man insane???
Ray Harmon
There’s nothing here to indicate she or her team ever received an actual, direct request to get involved, other than a hashtag and posts on this guy’s Instagram. She’s also not an employee of the LGBT community, nor is she required to chime in on Houston politics just because she’s from there. You’re mad at bigots, not Beyoncé. Point your frustration in the right direction.
Rob Laughlin
Who’s going to listen to her anyway? I doubt Sasha Fierce is going to change evangelical minds.
Dave Basora
Okay she never spoke up. Okay and it sucks. But her refusal to support us wasn’t the reason this was lost. So how about focusing on that and fixing it while moving forward and drop this obsession with her
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
YASSSS witchhunty!!!! My victimised body is ready!
Masc Pride
I thought Sam Smith was the spokesperson for gay people now? Look, I could go the rest of my life without hearing more pop drivel from this woman, and I totally believe the bulk of her success is the result of great marketing. With that said, this HERO thing isn’t her responsibility, nor is any other pop “diva” obligated to come to the rescue here. Their job is to keep you guys fascinated with their overdone makeup, hair extensions, sparkly leotards, striptease choreography and limited vocal ranges. Nothing more.
Carlos Zuniga
Is she considered a gay icon?
Ricardo Coronado
Omg unfollowing this is stupid
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Drop the R n B!
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Queer basha Fierce
JerseyMike
OMG… gay men and their praise and worship of female celebrities.. who needs her support for anything.. get real.. they are not trying to mess up there paycheck for some cause..
Ummmm Yeah
Has she ever openly supported gays?
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
All the problematic ladies
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Crazy in hegemonic heterosexist patriarchal love
Captain Obvious
First of all… she’s a black woman. She’s not a lesbian. She started out making music for BLACK WOMEN by a black woman. Her anthems were literally about black female problems/experiences. Even now that she’s mainstream she’s really speaking on the black female experience.
Maybe it’s time for gay men to realize none of these female popstars are making songs about us in the first place.
There are gay men making music and you all turn your backs on THEM! You don’t fund gay projects and totally ignore lesbians altogether like they don’t even exist. Then you get made when some random straight person you choose to worship isn’t all about you and your problems as if they were ever about you and your problems.
Get your head on straight. Beyonce is not for you. You’re claiming her when she NEVER claimed you.
Yes she will take your money and giggle at any fem guys who strive to be like her but she is not for you.
Try turning some gay people into idols and stop turning to straight females. Gay men straight worship all day everyday.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying her music but she is not a gay man so don’t look to her to care about our issues. She has her own. She’s a black female, wife, and a mother. That’s more than enough to focus on, she doesn’t need to adopt more.
Tim Michael Blake
She just needs to go away. She is so overrated.
sfhally
“Time of Need”?
Give it drama,why don’t you.
Angela Sorchi
no one cares about her anyway
Avery Alvarez
I’m one of those people who don’t give a shit about Beyonce or the bey-hive, but I really don’t see how she had any obligation to speak up here.
It would have been nice if she did, but did anyone even ask her?
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID: hey, leave a trigger warning before posting such strong language!
Charles Sherwood Morrill
It was the city of Houston that did this. Maybe the finger should be pointed at the LGBT community for not being proactive enough to stop it in the first place.
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Dear Avery Alvarez people,
Your microagressive cis-humor is problematic and reeks of neurotypical privilege. Check yo privilege
paul dorian lord fredine
sorry, but there’s something wrong whenas a grown man you can say you’ve spent ‘more time worshipping beyonce that any other pop star’. poor dear. my advice to you….get a life. and beyonce doesn’t ‘owe’ anybody anything. besides, even if she had said something do you think it would make any difference to those who’d already decided to vote against it? instead of hoping for a celebrity to endorse your cause, get off your ass and do something….encourage people to vote, to register, to go door-to-door to gather support. if you just sit back waiting for somebody with a name to endorse you, you’re doing nothing and you have nobody to blame but yourself when and if it fails.
M J Martinez Crogan
Her and her husband are backing the Conservative white Christian Brainwashed party ….hnmm go phucking figure
Xzamilio
Sorry, but if people are that mindless that they need Beyonce to tell them who to vote for, when to vote, and how to vote, then I don’t want those kinds of people voting. Yeah, I think she should have said something about it, but she ain’t obligated to, and I seriously doubt it would have changed anything. Just more idiots worshiping celebrities as though they are demigods… get a life.
Curtispsf
Just because *YOU* have adopted Beyonce as “your” idol, it doesn’t mean that she feels the same about you or that she cares one rat’s ass about your problems. This gayified idolation of female DIVAS is so ridiculously overrated. Try listening to the music of a TRUE gay icon like John Grant if you want some support, don’t look for it in Beyonce. She’s a no talent mass media marketed pitiful excuse for a drag queen…with NONE of the class or understanding of your average drag queen.
BEY is concerned only with BEY…I’d rather listen to a goat bay at the moon than engage in hero worship of some overwrought diva bitch.
dickrichard
Worship those fabulous woman of music as much as you like; Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and so on. Just know that at the end of the day they only cater to those segments of the population that buy their tickets, music, perfume and t-shirts.
And although some of them might have lots of lgbt fans, and lgbt-supporting fans, there is no reason for them to alienate their anti-lgbt fans, unless they are actively seeking to do pride shows or know that the vast majority of their fanbase is gay.
And although I’m sure that many of them genuinely are pro-lgbt, they’d flip the script tomorrow is the general consensus in the media turned against lgbt people. Trust me on that!
Markusfittt
Who in the HELL made HER a spokesperson for the gay agenda? That’s what I hate about some gays. Just because we idolize entertainers and buy their products doesn’t mean they have to stand up in our corner. Also, just because someone is quiet on any gay topic, does not automatically make him or her a homophobe!
Jack Gearing
Not At All Surprised At This!
Curtispsf
@Markusfittt: When a gay-idolized diva is silent on gay “issues”, it IS time to turn some of that hero worship towards those artists who genuinely support the QLGBT community…like Lady Gaga for example.
moldisdelicious
@Captain Obvious:
What? Maybe you should ask any black woman you come across if Beyonce speaks about their experiences being black women in america. What you said is just ignorant.
Roger Honeycutt
Wait why do we need her? What makes her so important ?
Frederick Charles Crisafulli
Need? Really? I dont think so!
Arcamenel
This is why white gays piss me the fuck off so much. You mock black women and appropriate their culture, bastardize it and then have the nerf to pull this shit. Beyonce doesn’t owe your asses anything. How about you work on the blatant racism running through your “inclusive welcoming community” before you come for Beyonce. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read and that’s saying something when it comes to Queerty articles.
Jorge Albertto
I’m sure that woman will need Her LGBT fans next time she has a new song or new show in Houston
Cam
I’m surprised that anybody believes a performer when they pretend to give a sh*t about anything.
There are some that really go out there and do stuff, and there are others that pay lip service and do nothing. Remember, Beyonce also did paid performances for Ghadaffi in Libya before he was deposed.
She does her job, makes her money, and doesn’t worry about much else. Disappointing, but not surprising, just like many stars.
Cam
@Arcamenel:
Your post is rac-ist, bigoted, and you need to sit down. I didn’t realize that somebody needed to “Owe” people anything before they got involved in basic civil rights.
So no man should bother to speak up for women’s rights if they don’t OWE women something? No adult should advocate for an end to child abuse if they don’t OWE a child something.
Go eat some ice-cream, or take a walk, or do whatever it is you need to do to bring your mood down to a reasonable level. If you can’t make a post without attacking an entire race or sexual minority then you are too bigoted to function as a rational human being.
meghanada
The writer is getting harassed, including with homophobic abuse, by Beyoncé’s Black fans.
These are the same people who like to go off about “intersectionalism” and complain that the omnipotent white gays aren’t doing enough for Black people. Yes indeed, Out dot Com even had an article complaining gay men weren’t doing enough for… Nicki Minaj.
But apparently, intersectionalism only exists when Black activists want to shame other groups into taking up their cause – it never exists to finally make Black people pay attention to someone else’s cause.
Fuck these people. Beyoncé’s homophobic queen fans, that is.
Arcamenel
Beyonce didn’t even comment on her own sister beating the shit out of her husband in an elevator but she’s supposed to lend her voice to HERO? Shut the fuck up seriously.
Arcamenel
@meghanada: Black people are always talking about other people causes especially when it comes to non-black people of color and all we get in return is more anti-blackness and being your goddamn scapegoats when shit hits the fan. I’m tired of solidarity because it’s been very evident for a long fucking time ya’ll don’t give a fuck about us.
Jose R Negron
Not my cup of tea!
meghanada
@Arcamenel: “You mock black women and appropriate their culture, bastardize it and then have the nerf to pull this shit”
Keep repeating it as much as you like. Won’t make it true.
Beyoncé is a cultural thief. She steals everyone’s rhythm and dance moves. Not to mention her “blond” hair and hazel “eyes”. She’s not the one suffering appropriation here, honey. And I seem to remember that bleached up ho appropriating a lot of Alex McQueen’s work – a white gay, him – to look less ghetto to the photo shoot.
Alvaro Ramirez
I personally don’t think she can sing, but she knows how to dance thats all. I don’t have a Beyonce song in my phone at all
Glen J. Dyes
To say she should have shown support for the organization HERO is to also say that Beyonce supports the LGBTQ community. For all we know Beyonce could be completely against the rainbow. Let’s face it she’s no Lady gaga, she never once declared her undying love for us not once in the public eye. . .
meghanada
“Black people are always talking about other people causes”
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
If by talking, you mean oppose and dismiss, then you might be right. Polls show Black people are only liberal in regards to issue that specifically affect Black people. On average, they lean right-wing, especially when it comes to feminism and gay rights. Black people supported Proposition 8 above any other racial group, and they’re the only racial group siding with Kim Davis (read the Yougov poll on Kim Davis).
“especially when it comes to non-black people of color and all we get in return is more anti-blackness and being your goddamn scapegoats when shit hits the fan.”
Spare me your Beyhive tears. I’m tired of seeing gay men – even non-Black gay men of color, such as me – get demonize as trashy “white gays” every time we fail to pass some SJW’s arbitrary litmus test and become slaves to every one else’s causes.
“I’m tired of solidarity”
Me too. Ignore us cis “white” gays exist – stop using us as scapegoat every time you’re upset by some ridiculous issue, such as Nicki “elephantiasis ass” Minaj not getting some MTV award.
Christopher Leonard
She has s large gay fanbase. What happened to Donna Summer should be a cautionary tale for pop stars. This could’ve an opportunity marketing or otherwise.
Brian
Beyonce is not particularly gay-friendly in my opinion.
I can’t believe that some gay-identifying men have treated her as a gay icon. Gay icon, my foot.
Has everybody forgotten about the news stories where she reportedly accepted a large sum of cash to perform for the Gadaffi family? The woman is a disgrace.
Ben Stimpson
Personally it sounds like this guy was pretty much stalking Beyonce, ‘tweeting her excessively’ ‘becoming distraught at her not taking notice.’ Look at what this guy is saying, he even said he worshipped her and actually believed his tweets and messeges towards her would make her do something he wanted to do. Sounds like this guy has some mental health issues which he’s disguising as social justice.
Bobby Buechler
Gary Tabing Jr.
Mike Van Kirk
Josh Mclawhorn
sportsguy1983
This guy obviously has many issues and the begin with him admitting he worships Beyoncé (or any pop star actually).
jimstoic
@Ray Harmon: But like most pop stars, she kind of IS an employee of the LGBT community. Take away their LGBT audience, and where would Madonna, Katy Perry, Sia, Britney Spears, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, and so on be? Millions of dollars poorer, at the very least.
jimstoic
Friends don’t help each other because they owe each other something. We thought Beyoncé was a friend of the LGBT community. It seems, however, that she’s really more of an acquaintance.
Mr-DJ
OH. MY. GAWD ! Give it a REST!!! Please note that opponents didn’t exactly “win” per se, as much as supporters “lost” this one. When you have 100,000 votes FOR Equal Rights – including many in the Straight Community, because it covered Rights for 15 different categories, and compare that to 350,000 mostly Gays who readily attended the Houston Pride Parade just 4 months ago, you can easily see why it lost. And who wasn’t voting. So, let’s just be sure the fingers are pointed in the right direction.
Joel G Humphrey
Who cares?
Captain Obvious
@moldisdelicious: How about you listen to “Bills, bills, bills.” and sit your dumb ass down somewhere.
CWM85
Like the city of houston would listened to her… one persons endorsement can’t cure bigotry.
Jamal Hassan Elakrah
Not openly supporting this =/= refusing to support. Also, she has constantly talked about how much she loves her gay fans. She is pro LGBT. I’m also upset Beyonce hasn’t called me to do my duet with her. How dare she ignore me!!?!!
Hussain-TheCanadian
But hold on a second you guys….are those stars/Musician/artists/entertainers not responsible to their fans? Especially if those fans have a sizable LBGT following?
Blackceo
Nope….not today Satan. I am not going to get sucked into responding to some of these dumb ass comments I see on here. What is even more bothersome though is why Queerty would give some pissed off blogger stan of Beyonce a platform for this foolishness. No bitch she didn’t respond to your call to speak out against HERO, just like the millions of other people she doesn’t respond to and/or isn’t even aware who ask her to follow their Twitter or Instagram pages or have her husband listen to a rap tape or have her listen to a song they did or whatever. This is fucking stupid.
Furthermore, some of these same whiners mad she didn’t publicly support HERO are same ones mad she got involved with Black Lives Matter, which is actually some shit that pertains to her. This sounds like that asshole Dan Savage who tried to single handedly blame the Black community for prop 8 in 2008. So whether or not Carlos forgives her or not I am sure there are no fucks to give from Beyonce.
CWM85
Beyonce has never been this big glbt advocate. She just has a sizable gay fan base.
Robbie Martinez
Horrible picture of her damn!!!
Simon Bloxix Gerlach
I think this world cares to much about celebrities
Kal Andrews
Really,queen? Your expectations aren’t other people’s obligations.
Louis
@Markusfittt: Please stop using that word AGENDA its bad enough those idiots on fox news use that word when it comes to us .
As far as Beyoncé she doesn’t represent us in general shes a heterosexual woman shes not gay nor does she understand what the LGBT community has endured and gone through for a long time.
However that being said I feel so sad for Houston right now and the blame should really be pointed on those who actually made this happen in the first place.
Beyoncé was not behind that nor did she initiate this discriminatory law either.
Jay Emerson
I;ve lost respect for Beyonce stupid fucking bitch
Brian
Beyonce is known to put some lesbian innuendo in her videos but this does NOT mean that she is gay-friendly.
I find that women who dabble in lesbian innuendo are generally not very welcoming of male homosexuality. Their use of lesbian innuendo is simply a sop to the sleazy straight guy fantasy.
Robert Orosco
Who cares she’s horrible anyways, we can fend for ourselves why should we expect handouts?
Tony Rolston
I seriously doubt all her fans were lining up to vote regardless of her support. If anyone else’s vote is swayed by her 2 cents, then we have bigger problems.
Deon Letsoalo
God, you’re all such professional “victims”. Stop demanding so much from celebrities of colour while the only thing you want from the white ones is that they have abs!
GayEGO
The real problem here is not Beyonce it is that the people of Houston were not educated or informed enough to toss the right wingers nutty comments about transgenders in the women’s restroom. This put fear into them about molestation and privacy issues.
More people should have voted in Houston as the polls show the supporters of HERO were greater than the antis.
It is not over until HERO is the law in Houston.
Kieran
If Carlos Maza really has been worshipping some vapid female pop star as some kind of “gay icon” bimbo, then he deserves the hard kick in the a$$ he received. When you snap out of your depression come back to reality.
Cam
@Deon Letsoalo: said… “God, you’re all such professional “victims”. Stop demanding so much from celebrities of colour while the only thing you want from the white ones is that they have abs!”
______________________________
Or perhaps you should rethink defending somebody just because of their color. She states that she loves her gay fans, and then a hashtag goes out with her name on it, gets over 10 million impressions and she says nothing? There is NOTHING wrong with somebody saying “Hey, if you love us, how do you feel about that?”.
The fact that to even suggest it gets these freaked out furious responses pretty much shows that many of her fans are just as wacked out as the guy the article was written about.
Clare Blanton Therieau
What a surprise, not the first time.
Jesse Balcuns-Contreras Jr.
Carlos Maza sounds like a delusional dramatic diva.
alphacentauri
@Joseph Molnar: Exactly she’s not been a proponent of LGBT rights.
BlueRoyale
@Captain Obvious: This!
Also, she’s an overrated product of excellent PR work.
moldisdelicious
@Captain Obvious:
who are you calling dumb ass when you’re generalizing all black women and black men for that matter off of a stupid song like “bills, bills, bills”? i see that your self hatred towards yourself as a black person and other black people is showing again. if you really are serious using a destiny’s child song which most of them are good for entertainment value as an example to talk about real life, then you already failed. there are a lot of good black men out there but ignorant clowns like you stay trying to paint as demonic because of one or two black men out there that happen to be up to no good.
how about you simply stop talking and acting like you know things that you clearly know nothing about?