Some Gay rights leaders say 'Boycott Hairspray Movie'- Page 3

[pab]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 1:15am

"John Travolta doesn't understand why several gay leaders have demanded that the gay community boycott "Hairspray." Activists are calling for a boycott, because they believe Scientology is homophobic and John Travolta has no right playing a character that was originally played by a gay icon.

Johnny boy said, "There is nothing gay in this movie. I'm not playing a gay man.

"Scientology is not homophobic in any way. In fact it's one of the more tolerant faiths. Anyone's accepted."

It's true. I mean they took in John and Tommy. They love the gays! I bet you Johnny and Tommy hook up in the basement of the Scientology center. Tommy dresses like an astronaut."
Scientologists Loves The Gays

[TheKryptoniteKid]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 3:10am

Travolta is gay, so it all evens out.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 7:44am

I tend not to listen to what the Washington Blade "tells" me to do. I'm looking forward to the movie.

[incendiary_wit]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 8:17am

Marcus, a drag queen is a gay man who dresses like a woman.

A transvestite, ala Eddie Izzard and Ed Wood, is a straight (or bi in some interpretations) man who dresses like a woman.

Personally, not a big fan of Travolta. But then, I'm not going to see the movie for him. I'm seeing it because I loved the movie and love the musical.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 8:27am

Although I dislike John Travolta almost as much as Tom Cruise--the latter for his lack of dramatic acting ability as much as anything else--I'm more afraid he's going to ruin the movie. What little bits I've seen show that he's pretty much lost whatever singing voice he once had. Granted, it's not a part that demands much singing or even a real singer, but what I heard made it sound like he wasn't even trying.


Updated On: 7/5/07 at 08:27 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 9:10am

One of the largest cults in the world, the Catholic Church, is Anti-gay. Are we supposed to boycott all Catholic actors, too?

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:43am

All of the world religions condemn homosexuality: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. I'm sure many religious leaders would object to this material.

If anything I think this is proof scientologists get along with gays.
Updated On: 7/5/07 at 10:43 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 11:03am

Or that Scientology isn't any more F'd up than any other cult.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 11:10am

Yeah, um, please don't call my religion a cult on the level of Scientology. We haven't been outlawed in several countries as a cult and we don't send people to a gulag if they start disagreeing with us.

And, again, there are a TON of groups that Scientologists don't accept. Like the mentally ill. Gay people are just one of many. I'm not saying that it's right, but their views on gay people is just one of many battles that needs to be fought. And let's not forget a lot of mysterious deaths of people in the RPF... They should be boycotting the movie for reasons other than just views towards homosexuals.

[larry64]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 5:01pm

jimnysf-

that was the best post ever! I love that shot of Travolta kissing his, er, "boyfriend", and the fat shot in the pool is priceless!

[G_Schlozinski2]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 5:13pm

some gay rights 'leaders' are idiots. used to be we had activists, authors, thinkers, artists actually leading the gay liberation movement, asking important questions like, 'what is the natural role of gay people in human societies,' and going about the business of redefining family, questioning authority, challenging norms. nowadays we have politicians and lawyers asking silly questions like, 'how can we be more like straight people,' (alternately, 'how can i prove to my daddy and mommy that i'm just like everyone else?), and going about the business of collecting six figure salaries and attending fund-raising events that most gay people can't afford in order to pay for their six figure salaries.

bravo John Waters! bravo John Travolta for taking on a role most 'stars' of his stature would be too intimidated to play.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 8:50pm

The religions and religious beliefs of actors should not play into what roles they get. Most religions frown upon homosexuality. None of those gay rights leaders were asking us not to go see Beauty and the Beast or Joseph when Mormon Star Donny Osmond was in those productions. Mormons officially feel the same way about such issues and even try to cure homosexuality. Just because an actor's religion frowns on something doesn't mean he or she frowns on it too. This is just as ridiculous request form the gay leaders as Baptist leaders asking for a boycott on Rent because of its homosexual content. Laughable really.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 9:02pm

I agree with you, jimmy. However if one feels strongly enough about something and they think a "boycott" will help make a point I say, "more power to you." I don't think that anything will come of this call to action, but you can't blame a person for trying to bring attention to something they feel is unjust even if you think it is absurd.

[elimeyer]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 9:18pm

Maybe we should REALLY boycott "Transformers". Today in the NYPost there is an interview with Tyrese:

Apparently Tyrese still has a thing against the gays. This is what he's tell to the media:

"We're putting a ban on all dudes from coming to the show." Actor/singer Tyrese is hoping his upcoming "Shirts Off," tour with R&B stars Ginuwine and Tank is strictly for the ladies."

I guess he's still weirded out about that one incident at one of his concerts wher he threw his shirt out in the crowd and a dude grabbed it up. Tyrese allegedly said, "that's not for you dog" and asked him to give the shirt to a female.

Full article: http://celebkrack.blogspot.com/2007/06/no-men-allowed.html

Google search for more Tyrese: http://www.google.com/search?q=tyrese+no+men+allowed&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006-28,GGGL:en

No THATS worth boycotting!

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 9:25pm

I do hold people responsible for the beliefs and actions of the organizations they belong to and contribute money to. I'll use my own family as an example. My family are church-going christians. I told them some time ago that I would not be attending any family events that took place in a catholic church, including weddings, christenings, funerals, etc. I explained to them that aside from thinking I'm an immoral sinner who will burn in hell, the catholic church actively works on political and social levels to promote discrimination against me, their son/brother/nephew.

I also told them that I wished they would consider that when they considered their own participation in such a group. To this they all responded with the argument that they don't support all of the church's teachings and took what they needed from it and ignored the rest. I asked them if, when they put their money in the basket, there was a seperate basket for money that was earmarked to be used only for things other than oppression of gays and women, or if they added a note to only use it for the things they believed in.

If you support an organization, monetarily, by your presence and by not questioning them on those things you find wrong, you must share the responsibility for the wrong they do. It's like saying I belong to the KKK because of their policies on urban renewal; I ignore all that awful lynching stuff.

That said, I understand that people are often unable to seperate the church, as an institution, from the religion itself. They are afraid of following their religious beliefs on their own, outside of the church. So I cut them a tiny bit of slack.

I don't boycott what my family does. And I wouldn't boycott what John Travolta does, unless I knew that he personally was working against gays. I do continue to boycott participation in organized religions. I am looking forward to seeing this movie.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 9:26pm

this gay dude will be seeing Hairspray and, additionally, will be very proud to support the gay people who created it.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:02pm

Catholics oppress neither gay people nor women. While the Church is against homosexuality, they do not hate homosexuals themselves. The Catholic Church also believes that no one can know who is or is not going to hell, so they don't believe that you will burn in hell. And, honestly, I know a ton of Catholics, including myself, who see nothing wrong with it. Catholics aren't exactly huge in the political scale, either; the religious right, mostly Protestant, tends to hate us as well.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:09pm

So you are saying that Catholicism is more closely related to Scientology than we thought? If they are against Homosexuality they are against Homosexuals. When will you people get it through your heads? If they look on the act of homosexuality as a sin they must see homosexuals as sinners unless they abstain from sex with a person of the same gender. THAT IS WHAT A HOMOSEXUAL IS. Hate the sin/love the sinner my ass.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:15pm

Umm, I can't think of many religions that are pro-homosexuality, so if that's the only basis for a religion being like Scientology, I think we have a huge issue here.

Again, Catholicism believes that no one can know for sure who is going to hell or heaven; only God can judge. As for hating sinners, we're not supposed to hate any sinners. We're all sinners.

I don't care if you hold grievances with Catholicism, but at least get your facts straight, and for the love of pete, don't compare us because the Catholic Church happen to have one belief in common with Scientology.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:21pm

Catholics aren't exactly huge in the political scale, either; the religious right, mostly Protestant, tends to hate us as well.

Actually, my comment was directed at the above quote. I am fully aware that most cults condemn homosexuality. It seems to be the one thing they can all agree on!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/5/07 at 10:31pm

Scientology also wants to outlaw any speech against it.

But, anyway, yeah... I give up on this.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:15am

What a waste of computer keys. What a waste of breath. Seems like some "gay leaders" will do anything to get a minute in the spotlight.

I can't think of a more gay positive film (uh, and it's musical comedy, people, the most gloriously gay words in the English language - sorry Jerry Orbach). Get a freakin life. Get laid. Just get out of the spotlight and let us watch the film.

Oh, and choosing Travolta, the spokesperson for a religion that may espouse anti-gay rhetoric was an incredibly brave thing for a group of (I'm pretty certain) mostly gay producers and creators to do.

That's the spirit of the story right there.

Updated On: 7/6/07 at 02:15 AM

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:32am

Umm, I can't think of many religions that are pro-homosexuality,


I can think of a lot. Wicca and the other myriad neo-pagan religions to begin with (they weren't always though)

and scientology is cult, the tech may work, but the CoS is cult and has circumvented the law and people's civil rights many many many times.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 8:05am

Let's see...if a gay actor were hired to play a role traditionally played by straight actors (like an openly gay actor playing Jesus in a biblical epic), and churches proposed boycotts, everyone here would be up in arms, accusing them of bigotry and narrow-mindedness. How is this proposed boycott of Hairspray any different?

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 9:02am

God I hate debating religion. But the power of christ compells me!

"Catholics oppress neither gay people nor women."

Following is a link to the MCC Statement In Support of the Defense of Marriage Act to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, Massachusetts General Court,transcript of a statement. This was unsolicited testimony. Nobody asked the church for a statement. They volunteered it, thus changing them from passive dissaprovers to active oppressors. And the law wasn't even about church marriage; it was about secular marriage.

https://www.macathconf.org/mcc_doma_testimony.htm

And another link to a statement made by the pope, also unsolicited, just for the fun of it.

https://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/articles/2005/06/07/pope_says_gay_unions_are_false/

The popes statements are always released just before a vote, aimed at influencing catholic legislators.

Oh, and then there was the time pope John Paul's second hand man sent a letter to all American bishops just before a presidential election telling them that anyone who did not follow the church’s rules and doctrine regarding abortion and homosexuality were “NOT” to receive the Holy sacraments of the church. Of course the letter was leaked to the press so that voters and candidates would know how he felt.



"The Catholic Church also believes that no one can know who is or is not going to hell, so they don't believe that you will burn in hell."

Again, the difference between religion and church. Their dogma may say that they can't know that I'm going to hell, but that never stopped them from warning me that god would make that judgement to send me to hell if I was gay, just as plainly as if they knew what god thought. Believe me; I went to catholic school for 12 years and I've heard dozens and dozens of priests and nuns use hell as a threat.

We can discuss the oppression of women right after you become the first female in a position of power in the catholic church.