Just one day after a TikTok video of James Hawley making homophobic remarks went viral, the British boxer has issued a video apology to the queer community.
Hawley came under immediate fire for his remarks, in which he blasted gay men and transgender people as “dirty c*nts.” The video went viral on social media after former Drag Race UK queen Baga Chipz posted it to Twitter. In less that 24 hours, Hawley was dropped by his management company.
Now Hawley has taken to social media again, this time posting an apology to Instagram. Though his account is set to private, another drag queen, Jolene Dover, posted the video to Twitter.
Related: Pro-boxer James Hawley’s homophobic TikTok rant is not a good look
“Last night I’d hit a brick wall,” Hawley said, “and had enough of all the messages and disgusting, disturbing images that I was being sent by a few members of the gay community and I lashed out and said a few things I didn’t mean. I have friends who are gay and I have a cousin who is gay – I never meant anything by it and I’m sorry to who I offended.”
Yesterday professional boxer #JamesHawley responded to a question “do you support the LGBT community” instead of either ignoring the question or just saying yes he went on a viral tirade. This is his “apology” video after being let go from his management pic.twitter.com/0wkb9LXskc
— Jolene Dover (@jolenedover) July 22, 2020
“At the same time, he added, “how would you like it if members of the gay public on a day-to-day basis sent you inappropriate videos and messages, basically abusing you.” Hawley went on to claim that he was unfairly dismissed by his management company, and begged them to reconsider. He also said he could offer proof that the gay community was harassing him.
Though he claims he acted in anger, nothing in Hawley’s original remarks alludes to any kind of harassment. “Listen, I can understand girls getting with each-other all the time in parties and all things like that,” Hawley ranted in the original video. “I don’t care. I haven’t got a problem. I’d want them to get with each other in front of me. But boys, on the other hand, and transgenders, something seriously wrong with them. What in the earth makes you wanna change your gender and get f*cked in the ass. We, for one, aren’t sure what ‘in the earth’ could explain why people are LGBT+. Maybe it’s something in the soil? The tectonic plates? It’s a mystery.”
(Offensive video) Today’s Scum is no other than “pro boxer” and really hard man James Hawley. Homophobic Filth. What a hard man. Report the Low life. What an absolute piece of dirt. pic.twitter.com/W7hdWwbDE0
— Baga Chipz (@ChipShopBird) July 22, 2020
WSnyder
File this under ‘Not Really Sorry but my stupidity and big mouth just took a chunk out of my Bottom Line so I have to say Something’
Harley
Exactly
Cam
It’s weird how people come up with something they think of as an excuse.
So according to him, a few people sent him something on social media and his first response is to go full on bigot. That isn’t an excuse, it’s just showing where his mind immediately went.
If a Black person cuts you off in traffic and you post on social media screaming the “N word”, guess what, that isn’t a defense. You just told everybody you’re a racist.
ThinkPIease
Cam, you should know about being racist.
Donston
I think “I keep getting explicit pics” is gonna start becoming most guys excuses for going on homophobic/anti-gay rants. As if male public figures don’t get unsolicited pics of women everyday, all day and as if some pics would ever justify such a perspective. While of course he pulled out the “I got a gay cousin or friend” nonsense. There are plenty of homosexual and gay-identifying people who suffer internalized homophobia and plenty of people all over the orientation spectrum who are ultimately anti-gay. You having a cousin you’re cool with doesn’t mean anything. Just another hateful dumbass mired by insecurity and toxic masculinity who expects sympathy and understanding.
charlie_jackpot
Try being a woman on social media to see all the unsolicited stuff they get sent
OldGayDude
This guy is gay for sure, just deluding himself
Mister P
Apparently he does know about it. Didn’t you read his post?
dhmonarch89
I can see getting pissed off about gay guys sending you dick pics, sex related things (you know there are idiots who do that), but you say THAT- not all the anti gay stuff…no one would have objected to him going on a rant about gay guys sending disturbing images to him and asking them to knock it off….but questioning the basis of homosexuality and the crudeness, arrogance and ignorance was unacceptable. He should not be re admitted.
Donston
It’s not a “gay thing”. It’s a man thing. Telling guys to knock off all the unsolicited pics is fair. But it seems these dudes can’t make that clear without also coming off homophobic and homo shaming. This is just an extreme example. While his TikTok had nothing to do with feeling harassed. It was just a hateful, shaming rant that he thought was funny. There’s also a lot of women who say some really out there things to these on social media and will send unsolicited pics. Some even do it to gay identifying guys and guys in same sex relationships. They never get called out though. (With the exception being Henry Cavill many years ago).
dhmonarch89
Donston- I never said it was a gay thing. I was speaking specifically and exclusively about THIS incident/story. I know there’s a lot of scum out there of every sexuality.
FridM
A total Mo
alterego1980
He offered what I call an acknowlogy. He acknowledged people were upset with his comments without really apologizing. He was more sorry that they were upset and that people are mad at him.
rickywintour
Thank you so much for giving me a new word to add to my vocabulary.
kelli
Oh you poor thing. Yes, we all know that some gay guys are trashy!! But did any of us gays ever have to deal with straight guts and their lewd comments toward us?? Or how about when women always want to tell us that we haven’t f@#ed the right girl, and that they can fix us?? BITCHES!! We ain’t broke!! And to straight guys, we don’t want all of you anymore than you want all women!! Get over yourselves ALL straight people!!
Inspector 57
And he chooses to be photographed and filmed in skin-baring, seductive poses.
“Admire me. Lust for me. Support me. But just don’t expect ME to treat YOU decently.”
powersthatbe
Showing off is the fool’s idea of glory. – Bruce Lee
timucua
I think he is more concerned about potentially losing his future boxing career. Yesterday someone wrote on twitter that James some time ago wrote if had a girlfriend he would not let her go outside to any nightclubs, bars and she would not have any male friends. Don’t if it was banter or was he very serious. In my own conclusion it seems a lot of these male homophobes are misogynists and sexists.
tjr101
Homophobes tend to run the gamut, I’m pretty sure he holds racist views as well.
powersthatbe
Ignorance is not bliss.
Stupid is as stupid does.
When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.
timucua
Just found out today he is a hypocrite, if it is true, he sent unsolicited pictures to three different women.
Donston
We know it was never really about pics. That was just an excuse to go on a toxic masculinity driven, gay shaming rant. If a few pics leads you to doing saying that shit then that’s something that was always in your heart and that you eager to share to world.
One thing I have noticed is a lot of guys on social media baiting people and using it as an excuse to go on a hateful rant. They love to bait “gay” dudes in particular because you can successfully bait them without seeming like you’re trying to. So, they use a couple of trolls or pervs to justify it. And casual homophobia and internalized homophobia is still so commonplace.
nmarkwb
Sadly there are those in the Gay Community that do send photos they shouldn’t. I’ve seen it. So I think I can give him a little leeway here.