Kobe Bryant chides a fan on Twitter for using the word ‘gay’ as an insult

So much good can come from famous faces speaking out against hate and even admitting to past mistakes and publicly changing those behaviors. Like Kobe Bryant, in this article, who called out a fan on twitter who used the word “gay” as an insult. He acknowledged his own misuse of the word in 2011 and spoke out about making a positive change and how wrong it is to use terms like this hatefully. It honestly gives me hope that if things like this happen more often, we will all be speaking a much more compassionate language. The Lakers All-Star, who heads into Monday afternoon with nearly 1.3 million followers on the service, used the hours following his team’s hard-fought yet mistake-prone loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday to chide one fan. After one follower shared the sentiments of many female (and male) Bryant followers by offering the suggestion that he and the Laker star “make out in bed,” another follower offered this lovely take:

At least he spelled “you’re” correctly. Swiftly, Kobe came back with this: Immediately everyone’s thoughts went to an ugly April of 2011 incident that saw Bryant referring to referee Bennie Adams as a derogatory term for homosexuals, preceded by that most unprintable of curse words. We rightfully teed off on Bryant following the incident, and the NBA hit Kobe with a massive $100k fine. Was Bryant right to go after that follower (that, in the hours since, completely unrepentant and unreadable follower) for working up a less profane version of what he used to toss out? Well, yeah. Let’s let Bryant, in a Twitter response later that night to someone who didn’t like the perceived hypocrisy, take over. Anyone else got a problem with that? Anyone else still cool with betraying their own intelligence and blithely hurting others by continuing to use the word “gay” as an insult? It’s 2013. Find another word, schmendricks.

About The Author

Patricia Colli, Editor of Beutiful Magazine, is a human rights activist, equality advocate, and promoter of health, acceptance and wellbeing. Having experienced disordered eating, unhealthy exercise patterns and poor body image, she is especially passionate about shedding light on eating disorders and the power of body acceptance.