Hey Miss Fox, how you doing? Rough day? Been there!
Listen, we loved you in Independence Day, and your Kill Bill performance was e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. I’m sure you’ve done other notable pieces of work. But frankly, all I seem to remember is your sad attempts to “keep it real” in interviews and on social media when you’re really just being ignorant to the LGBT community.
Let’s start with your most recent moment of ignorance. In a radio interview promoting your new show about male exotic dancers, you were asked if gay men would be allowed to come to your club. You responded, “Hell no.”
Hell no? Not: Love my gay brothers, but this is a show for ladies. Or, We’re looking at having a gay night. Instead you decided on hell no? Well, “decided” is probably the wrong word, it’s more like “spoke without thinking.” I can only hope that was the case.
Of course your “hell no” resulted in backlash from the LGBT community and our allies. Your response? To say we have our own spaces?
You’re right, we do. And you know what else? You’re welcome at them! As are straight men. Basically everyone is welcome. And that’s the point!
Even the leading male exotic dance company, Chippendales, has evolved. From their FAQ page...
Frankly, Chippendales should be applauded for being more inclusive. I’m sure they won’t mind if you steal their language for your shows.
To be honest, we don’t think you’re homophobic, at least not intentionally. As you’ve tweeted, you’ve been to gay bars, have been a longtime supporter of the community, and I’m sure that’s all true. But, when you disregard our response to your poor choice of words, or basically say we should go to our own places, keep to our kind, you’re no different than somebody saying, You don’t belong, you’re different, who you are is wrong.
This isn’t the first time you’ve said something that hasn’t sat well with the LGBT community. Your epic shade tossing between you and 50 Cent has been filled with tongue and cheek references to 50 Cent’s possible homosexuality, often inferring that he is gay or questioning his masculinity within the language of his rumored sexuality.
It’s this sort of language, these actions, that keeps the LGBT community from greater acceptance. Your language pushes us into an “other” category. We are not “other,” and frankly, we’re the demographic keeping you in the news.
Your show looks great. All we ask is that instead of playing the “too bless to be stressed” or “haters gonna hate” card, perhaps you recognize why your words matter, the kind of role you could play as an advocate for the LGBT community, and why you should maybe think more before you speak sometimes. Instead of fetishizing LGBT people as different from you, and therefore not welcome, maybe see us as equals?
There’s more that unites us than divides us, especially when it comes to your new show. Because, at least for the G and some of the B and the T in the LGBT acronym, we all really like dick and applaud you for bringing more of it to our TV screens. Now just let us in.
Sincerely,
A gay