His homophobic jibes help make bigotry cool and acceptable
“Eminem’s lyrics send out mixed messages, some positive but most negative. Whatever his intention, he reinforces prejudice, instead of undermining it”, says Peter Tatchell of the gay rights group, OutRage!. He was speaking in advance of the US rap star’s UK tour, which begins on 8 February 2001.
“He appears to be very insecure about his sexual identity. Are the homophobic elements of his songs a bid to prove his masculinity and heterosexuality? His macho pose often comes across as a masquerade to disguise inner turmoil and confusion”.
“It is evident from his abusive relationships with his mother and wife that he doesn’t like women. Like many misogynistic gay men, Eminem would rather hang out with the boys. That’s why he loves the macho world of rap. It’s an all-male scene, where the brothers chill together united in their disrespect for women”.
“It is easy to imagine Eminem as a woman-hating, repressed gay man”.
“The Grammy and Brit Award judges are two-faced hypocrites. They would never give air-time, let alone an award nomination, to a singer who fantasised about the murder of black people”.
“If Eminem rapped about killing blacks, cutting their throats, suffocating them in the boot of a car and dumping their bodies in a river, he would be hounded out of the music industry. By nominating him for an award, the judges are signaling their toleration of misogyny and homophobia”.
“His bigoted sneers give homophobia a veneer of coolness, which colludes with the twisted prejudices of maladjusted young straight men.”
“Eminem’s abusive depiction of women and gay people looks like a tacit endorsement of queer-bashing and domestic violence.”
“He plays at being a macho bad boy who dares to break the rules. But he never cusses black people or raps about them being killed. He’s a coward who picks on easy targets – women and gay men.”
“Eminem shafts gay people while sucking up to the big boys of gangster rap.”
“If Eminem was really into challenging political correctness, he would diss black people with the same enthusiasm that he disrespects homosexuals and women. But he doesn’t dare abuse blacks because he is scared of their reaction”, said Tatchell.