Richard Hammond has ben given a lesson from the LGBT+ community, after claiming he doesn’t understand why people come out publicly.
The ‘Grand Tour’ presenter said he believes it’s “old fashioned” to “make a big deal out of” a person’s sexuality, as he attempted to defend a controversial joke he made earlier this year.
While speaking about the fact he joked that his dislike of ice cream had “something to do with being straight”, Richard turned his attention to the wider LGBT+ community and coming out.
“Look, anyone who knows me knows I wasn’t being serious, that I’m not homophobic. Love is love, whatever the sex of the two people in love,” he said.
“It may be because I live in a hideously safe and contained middle-class world, where a person’s sexuality is not an issue. But when I hear of people in the media coming out, I think, why do they even feel the need to mention it?”
“It is so old-fashioned to make a big deal of it. That isn’t even an interesting thing to say at a dinner party any more.”
After his comments were picked up in the press, people on Twitter wasted no time explaining to Richard why it is still incredibly important for LGBT+ people to speak about their sexuality.
Richard Hammond has decided to run his mouth & question why we feel the need to mention our sexuality. Perhaps it’s encouraging those who are also in the LGBT community & who are struggling ‘come out’ to family & friends. In doing so, it is providing a positive role model!
December 4, 2017
Hi @RichardHammond one reason gays “make a big deal of it” is because there are still 70+ countries where someone can be jailed or even executed for being gay. When we stay quiet, we enable homophobic atrocities like the purge in Chechnya. Silence is violence. Hope that helps!
December 4, 2017
Half of LGBT+ students are bullied at school, hearing homophobic slurs ‘frequently’ or ‘often’ 4 in 5 trans and 3 in 5 LGB young people have self-harmed More than 2 in 5 trans young people have attempted to take their own life But, why make a big deal of it @RichardHammond? https://t.co/IZVgiukJan
December 4, 2017
Why do we feel the need to mention it, @RichardHammond? Because someone like @MarkFosterSwim coming out provides a role model for a young LGBT person who might be struggling to come to terms with their sexuality.
December 4, 2017
Reminder that half of young LGBT students still face bullying at school while @RichardHammond makes gay jokes on one of the world’s biggest TV shows: https://t.co/BTfDmRZPDK pic.twitter.com/pUPj00upcK — Attitude (@AttitudeMag) December 4, 2017
Hi @RichardHammond. If you have spare moment between driving cars and hating ice cream, read just one or two of the stories on @rucomingout to see why we feel the need to “mention it”.
December 4, 2017
Actually so many people I know are in the process of coming out, or are just too scared to, and people like @RichardHammond need to shut up, because the potential damage they can inflict is enormous. This has riled me.
December 4, 2017
Yes @RichardHammond. We live in a tolerant country where, even though it’s generally no issue, being gay can still subject people to abuse, hatred and violence. That’s why coming out and support are important. @AttitudeMag
December 4, 2017
“Why do they even feel the need to mention it?” asks @RichardHammond about people coming out. Let me help you. Because we still get: beaten bullied raped sacked imprisoned murdered Just because we’re LGBT. And because we don’t have the luxury of silence.
December 4, 2017
LGBT+ rights advocate Peter Tatchell previously accused Richard of “pandering to prejudice” in an interview with the BBC, following the ‘ice cream’ incident.
“It’s a perverse world when everyday pleasures like ice cream becomes the butt of homophobic innuendo,” he said.
HuffPost UK’s Daniel Welsh also penned in blog on the topic, calling for Richard to consider that “all of his words have weight and consequence”.