Life

Billy Eichner shares his thoughts on comedians using the term ‘faggot’

By Daniel Megarry

11th December 2018

Billy Eichner has spoken out about people using the word ‘faggot’ in their comedy.

Since comedian Kevin Hart’s homophobic tweets resurfaced earlier this month, leading to him stepping down as Oscars host, several other comedians have had past tweets dug up where they used the anti-gay slur faggot.

Nick Cannon this week called out a number of celebrities – including Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler – for using the word on social media, questioning why they haven’t received the same backlash as Kevin.

In response to people asking for his opinion, gay comedian and American Horror Story star Billy Eichner has shared his thoughts on people using the term faggot and including anti-gay jokes in their material.

“I obviously do not and cannot speak speak for the entire LGBT community (obviously). But here’s my personal opinion: Just don’t use the word. It’s as simple as that. There are so many other words to use.

“Now, because I am a grown up and not a child, I do take context, nuance and *intention* into consideration.

“I think these are comedians who felt they can use that term because they have very large, dedicated gay male followings, myself included. They feel like they’re ‘one of us’. So I think in some of these cases it was being used with what is *intended* as some sort of endearing, if irreverent, affection.”

Billy argued there’s a difference between comedians using the term faggot in an ‘irreverent’ way and saying you would “smash a dollhouse over your child’s head if they exhibit stereotypically gay behaviour” – which Kevin tweeted he would do in 2011 – but that the best thing to do is to “just not use the damn word” full stop.

“As a gay man, unless it’s perhaps a gay friend of mine saying it to me at a LIVELY BRUNCH, I don’t like hearing it. Even when I know it’s coming from an ally – and certainly when I know that it isn’t,” he continued.

“It’s not a fun word for us to hear at this point. We’ve come too far. So maybe let’s just drop it. I’m not into censorship and I know some gay men may disagree but, like I said, there are so many other words to use.”

You can read Billy’s full thoughts on the topic – which have received over 11,000 likes – below.

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