Self-proclaimed LGBTQ ally Wendy Williams is in the middle of a PR nightmare. It all started last week when she launched into what can only be described as an antigay tirade on her show.
In a pre-Valentine’s Day rant, Williams went after gay men, demanding they “stop wearing our skirts and our heels.”
“Looky here now, gay men, you’ll never be the women that we are,” Williams said. “No matter how gay.”
Related: Wendy Williams is bleeding followers as her longest-running fan page calls it quits
Understandably, the homophobic remarks didn’t go over well with Williams’ gay fans. A day later, she issued a teary-eyed apology, insisting she’s an LGBTQ ally and that she “did not mean to offend my LGBTQ+ community.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings,” she sniffled. “I’m just having a conversation.” Then she promised to “do better.”
Of course, nobody’s perfect. And Williams certainly isn’t the first LGBTQ ally to betray her LGBTQ followers by making a flippant antigay remark. Scroll down for 9 more allies who messed up…
Donna Summer
For years, the “Queen of Disco” was plagued with antigay rumors. According to multiple sources, Summer made derogatory comments about gay people and HIV/AIDS during a concert stop in Atlantic City in 1983.
“It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” Summer allegedly told the crowd. “I have seen the evils of homosexuality. AIDS is the result of your sins.”
At the time, the singer had recently become a born-again Christian and said beliefs were based on her new religion. She later denied ever making the remarks, calling the accusations “unjust and unfair.”
Related: Donna Summer Sent Never-Before-Seen Apology Letter To ACT UP
Lisa Vanderpump
In May of last year, the reality star cracked a transphobic joke about her Real Housewives of Beverly Hill co-star Erika Jayne, implying that she was trans and “tucking it under.”
Afterwards, Vanderpump said she had “nothing but respect and love for trans people around the world” and insisted that she never intended to belittle anyone with the off-color joke.
Vanderpump again came under criticism last November when she didn’t condemn homophobic remarks made by her employee and Vanderpump Rules cast member Jax Taylor.
Some ally.
Related: After homophobic outburst, reality star claims “50 percent” of his friends are gay
Rose McGowan
During a stop on her book tour in 2018, the actress got into a heated altercation with a trans woman at a Barnes & Noble store.
McGowan was caught on camera angrily telling the woman she “could not relate” to the experiences of cisgender women. Then she claimed, without providing any evidence, that cis women are more likely to be the victims of rape or violence than trans women.
Days later, the actress apologized to the entire LGBTQ community for her behavior, saying she has always considered the queer community “my people” and “my safety” from the straight men who hate her.
Related: Rose McGowan apologizes to the transgender community
Chris Cuomo
During the LGBTQ-themed Democratic Presidential nominee town hall event in Los Angeles last October, the CNN host cracked an awkward joke about pronouns. After Sen. Kamala Harris told the audience her pronouns: “My pronouns are she/her/hers,” Cuomo flippantly replied, “Mine too!”
When the joke didn’t land, he swiftly issued a statement apologizing for the remark and reaffirming his commitment to equality, saying: “I am an ally of the LGBTQ community, and I am sorry because I am committed to helping us achieve equality.”
Related: Chris Cuomo apologizes for joking about pronouns at Democratic debate
Patti LuPone
The two-time Tony and Grammy award winner took to Twitter last summer to peddle passé gay rumors about Sen. Lindsey Graham, tweeting: “Lindsey Graham, you are a disgrace. On a personal note, why don’t you just bite the bullet and come out. You might just come to your senses.”
Lindsey Graham you are a disgrace. On a personal note, why don’t you just bite the bullet and come out. You might just come to your senses.
— Patti LuPone (@PattiLuPone) July 18, 2019
While Graham is certainly no friend to the LGBTQ community, many didn’t appreciate LuPone’s attempt at weaponizing his sexuality over a difference in political opinions. LuPone never apologized.
Related: Patti LuPone slammed for cracking homophobic joke and peddling Lindsay Graham gay rumors
Kaya Jones
In January 2019, the former Pussycat Doll took to Twitter to express her disgust over gender-neutral bathrooms, writing: “How would you feel about your child using this bathroom?”
A backlash ensued, but Jones, who literally would not have a career if it weren’t for the LGBTQ community, refused to apologize. Instead, she labeled herself a “warrior” for her gender and accused anyone who supports gender-neutral bathrooms of being “hateful.”
“Why is it controversial to say I don’t think women and men should share a public bathroom,” she raged. “Just curious. And how did we go from separate toilets to shared ones.”
Related: Former Pussycat Dolls singer goes on wild ant-trans rant; Twitter responds
Terry Crews
The former NFL linebacker and current star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine ignited a Twitter firestorm last March over comments he made about same-sex parenting.
Crews tweeted: “I’ve reiterated many times that same-sex couples and single parents can successfully raise a child. But I believe paternal AND maternal love are like vitamins and minerals to humanity.” Then in a followup tweet, he said children without a mother and a father “will be severely malnourished.”
When people expressed outrage over the tweet, he issued a statement saying he was sorry, writing: “I apologize to anyone who was hurt by my ‘severely malnourished’ tweet. It was in response to someone who said that kids wouldn’t ‘starve.’ It was poorly worded so I deleted it.”
Related: Terry Crews comes under fire for homophobic remarks, says he refuses to be anyone’s “puppet”
Tamar Braxton
Last November, the frequent Pride performer and guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race issued a “public service announcement” on her Instagram Story warning women that if their boyfriends don’t have sex with them in more than three days then clearly they’re “gay” and “want a man.”
When the PSA wasn’t received well by fans, Braxton issued a statement saying, “We all say stupid sh*t.” Later that week, she issued another statement alleging she’s been an LGBTQ ally “since the 4th grade” and telling her gay fans to “STOP with that BS.” Then she said she was offended by their being offended by her homophobic remarks.
Related: After apologizing for homophobic remarks, Tamar Braxton has another meltdown
Bette Midler
The long-time LGBTQ ally and living legend fired off a tweet in 2016 jokingly asking whether Caitlyn Jenner was going to remarry Kris and go back to being Bruce after the cancellation of her reality show “I Am Cait.”
Midler quickly deleted the tweet then issued an apology, calling it an “idle musing” and saying that “I seem to have misread the temper of the times.”
DEAR FRIENDS @HRC, WHOM I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED. SORRY LAST TWEET OFFENDED. AN IDLE MUSING. I SEEM TO HAVE MISREAD THE TEMPER OF THE TIMES.
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) August 21, 2016
Related: Bette Midler Apologizes Over Tweet Asking If Caitlyn Jenner Will Go Back To Being Bruce
Guy12345678
Learn to take a joke (coming from someone that’s LGBTQ).
Vince
Some are coming from a place of ignorance but most are just some mild jokes. Jesus people. Lighten up.
Andy
Agreed
eeebee333
Ditto.
stagehand1
Sadly, one of the most harsh realitYes of the lgbtq community is that we are always quick to eat our own.
Jbaltes
I agree-we sometimes take ourselves far too seriously! We are all too prone to circling the wagons and shooting inward. As for Patty LuPone – While I am not a fan of hers, I absolutely agree with her comments about Lindsey Graham. No apology needed!
corgimel
Jbaltes, comments about a republican is ok but not if a democrat…..hmmmm
Andy
I agree with Patti LuPone. Lindsey Graham is an LGBTQ enemy.
spunkfunker
This cancel culture bs is getting as bad as the conservatives. She made an unfunny joke, can we all just move on. Her show isn’t losing sponsors, and she isn’t getting cancelled anytime soon. There is more hateful rhetoric on talk radio, and faux news everyday of the week. Prospective people.
Donston
I mean, half of these are mildly problematic, retrograde, unfunny jokes or plain ignorance rather than “betrayals”. But in general, “ally culture” is dumb. You can’t depend on other people to speak for you or represent you. And a lot of these “allies” are vultures who do whatever is most convenient or will assist their bank accounts. Most people have started to look at being an “ally” as a joke. It’s time for self-serious “queers” to see it the same. Let the word die.
djhavyk
To compare some of these “betrayals” to Wendy’s it’s to minimize her actions. It’s one thing to rip an inappropriate joke, it’s another to go on a hateful tirade for a solid couple minutes. I think we all need to learn to laugh at ourselves a bit more and not take ourselves so freaking seriously. (Also coming from a gay man, he/him/his… anyone else find this all ridiculous???)
Andy
Well said. Bette Midler has been more of an ally to the LGBTQ community than she is being criticized for. In her defense, Caitlin Jenner was no ally to the LGBTQ community when she transitioned she had nothing but scorn for us especially the trans community.
marion
Most of these are just jokes, Graham is obviously not familiar with the concept ,alway looking for outrage. On a side not i wonder if his rent is due. Around this time of the month we always get a barrage of Reddit summaries, melodramic opinion pieces and dull articles.
tjack47
If your skin is that thin, you’re probably standing on the shoulders of some thick skinned mofo’s who either thought it was funny or could care less what some of these people think. They’re not robots. Grow some balls, ovaries or whatever gonads you are supposed to have. Then get a spine of titanium.
theseus
“Looky here now, gay men, you’ll never be the women that we are,” Williams said. “No matter how gay.”
Understandably, the homophobic remarks didn’t go over well with Williams’ gay fans.
As a gay man, I’ve never once in my years thought that I’d be a woman. How on earth is this a ‘homophobic remark’? People in 2020 need to get a grip!
splunky
It’s homophobic because she is saying that gay men (including yourself) really desire to be women. She feels that all or most gay men are like this. It’s what a lot of homophobic people think actually. That’s why gay men are not percieved as “real” men. Hell, there are self-loathing gay men who feel the same.
I agree that most of us need to lighten up and quit being offended by mild jokes or comments that are truly not homophobic, but to say that Wendy’s comments were not homophobic proves that you really need to pay more attention. She may not have come from a place of pure hate, but she certianly came from a place of ignorance. Not only that, but days after she apologized and promised to be a better person, she makes a joke about a woman’s murder. I’m sorry, she needs to get some help.
Donston
Splunky. There are many women who feel “gays” either want to be women or they hate women. And some women will use this belief to justify their own misandry and/or male homophobia. Some will even accuse a guy of being “gay” because he mistreats females. “Gay” for some women has little to do with a guy’s sexual behaviors, attractions, romantic/emotional affections and passions, relationship ambitions and contentment. Being “gay” is about wanting to be a woman and not transitioning and/or it’s about hating women. They see everything that a guy does as having to do with how he feels towards women. When you understand that perspective you can more clearly see where Wendy’s random, embittered rant is coming from. But it’s a nonsensical perspective since males have been putting on dresses and makeup for 100’s of years. Only effemiphobic and trans-phobic “gays” will pretend that Wendy’s remarks weren’t extremely problematic if not also hateful.
This article however highlights how irresponsible this site often is, lumping a bunch of random moments together (some almost completely inoffensive) and bringing up decades old shit. Everything is about a click and comment. No respectable journalism at all.
theseus
I’d not seen the full clip of her, which I’ve now hunted out, only the line in the article written above.
In the full clip she’s talking about the supposed ‘Galentines’ day when women who don’t have a date for Valentines can cosy up and celebrate the friendships they have. Wendy doesn’t think its a great idea – just another holiday invented to make money she says.
‘Anyone joining in?’ she enquires to her audience. She questions men that are clapping? Why would they be part of a day about women and their female friends, she wonders? I don’t find any of this homophobic, just obvious. She herself even questions why on earth such a holiday is needed.
I don’t like the woman, I wouldn’t watch her show. But to see people crying homophobia about a silly rant is ridiculous.
Donston
No one had any issue with that part of her rant. They had an issue with her saying men shouldn’t be wearing dresses and shouldn’t be wearing makeup. And she sounded dead serious when she was saying that. You’re trying to act like you don’t understand people’s issues with her comments. The information is all over the internet and has been explained in the comments here. Don’t feign ignorance. Wendy has said a bunch of directly and indirectly male homophobic, gay panic-y, transphobic, effemiphobic things over the years. And she used to out celebs. There’s a reason contestants from Ru Paul’s show did not want her to be a part of the series. There’s a reason she issued a tearful apology. She has been messy and an undercover hater for quite a while. I have a slight issue with the outrage because none of this stuff is anything new from her. Just admit that you agree with her that guys shouldn’t be wearing dress or makeup. Trying to pretend that you don’t understand people’s issues with her comments is coming off insincere.
Kieran
Homophobia and straight privilege are such deeply entrenched cancers within our society that people like Patty Lapone and Bette Mitler don’t even realize when they so mindlessly engage in it. That’s a problem. But the bigger problem is that we have so many pathetic, self-hating queers that enable this kind of casual homophobia. Self-respecting people wouldn’t tolerate it.
EddieB
I know it’s just clickbait but “BETRAYAL?” And we’re “pathetic, self-hating queers” because we refuse to think that anything that makes us a little uncomfortable should be illegal?
People can be stupid. They can be insensitive. Some can even be mean. Even my queer friends. I don’t feel betrayed.
ScottOnEarth
You are overly-sensitive.
orfunnyhaha
oh God, grow a spine.
Rock-N-RollHS
Listening to Donna Summer right now! Love!
Otherwise, I hope I’m one of those fags that betrays LGBTQIADXYZ! I would not rest in my grave unless i did.
I hope you enjoy 4 more years of Trump! Oh the joys of a circular firing squad with no sense of context or scope! (I smell a millennial in the room ha!)
jackscott
I can’t stand Wendy… she shouldn’t have a show!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Actually the number one betrayer of our community is Queerty…
For spewing ignorant nonsensical threads like this. Stop this this noxious garbage of attacking people who have been supportive of our community over a single commemt or lame joke…..
Yooper
The writer is one of the perpetually offended, demanding a pound of flesh for nothing. Most of the examples were off the cuff quips, calm down and get a sense of humor.
Man About Town
“Multiple sources” my left nut. Donna Summer sued New York Magazine for $20 million for printing that BS that she never said.
JoshGL
This pearl-clutching is ridiculous.
Grow a pair.
Wolfie
WORST POST EVER! Oh wait. It’s by Graham Gremore. That explains it all.
skyboy63
Bette Midler and Patti LuPone ? Give me a break.
Doug
I can’t believe that there are gay men who got offended by these. This is a perfect example of why conservatives created the word “snowflakes.”
cuteguy
Patti LuPone said and did nothing wrong. Lady G should have no protection bc she is voting to do us harm.