Kevin Spacey was criticized on Twitter for coming out as gay in the same statement in which he apologized to actor Anthony Rapp for alleged sexual misconduct.
As previously reported, the Star Trek: Discovery actor, 46, claimed in an interview with BuzzFeed News published on Sunday, October 29, that the House of Cards star, 58, made unwanted sexual advances toward him at a party in New York City in 1986, when they were both starring in separate Broadway plays. Rapp, who was 14 at the time, alleged that Spacey, then 26, laid “down on top” of him in a bedroom and “was trying to seduce” him.
Spacey later took to Twitter to respond to the allegations. He wrote in a statement that he does “not remember the encounter,” but apologized to Rapp “for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior.” In the second half of his post, Spacey wrote, “I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man.”
Many celebrities and social media users were quick to criticize the two-time Oscar winner’s statement. “No no no no no! You do not get to ‘choose’ to hide under the rainbow! Kick rocks!” Wanda Sykes, who came out as a lesbian in 2008, wrote on Twitter.
Billy Eichner tweeted, “Kevin Spacey has just invented something that has never existed before: a bad time to come out.” In a follow-up tweet, he called Spacey’s statement “truly disgusting, irresponsible and dangerous.”
Rose McGowan, who recently came forward with sexual assault allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein that he denied, also spoke out against the American Beauty actor. She tweeted, “Bye bye, Spacey goodbye, it’s your turn to cry, that’s why we’ve gotta say goodbye.”
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also spoke out. “Coming out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “This is not a coming out story about Kevin Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and all those who bravely speak out against unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that.”
See more reactions below.
No no no no no! You do not get to “choose” to hide under the rainbow! Kick rocks! https://t.co/xJDGAxDjxz
— Official Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) October 30, 2017
Kevin Spacey has just invented something that has never existed before: a bad time to come out.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 30, 2017
But honestly I hesitate to make jokes because the Spacey statement is truly disgusting, irresponsible and dangerous. Ok goodnight!
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 30, 2017
Dear fellow media:
Keep focus on #AnthonyRapp BE THE VICTIM’S VOICE. Help us level the playing field.
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 30, 2017
Bye bye, Spacey goodbye, it’s your turn to cry, that’s why we’ve gotta say goodbye. #ROSEARMY
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) October 30, 2017
Nope to Kevin Spacey’s statement. Nope. There’s no amount of drunk or closeted that excuses or explains away assaulting a 14-year-old child.
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) October 30, 2017
Kevin Spacey really tried to throw the entire LGBT community under a bus and call it solidarity in an effort to mask his personal failings.
— deray mckesson (@deray) October 30, 2017
The gay community has worked very hard to separate the idea of gay behavior and child predatory behavior. Kevin Spacey sets that work back.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 30, 2017
— Zachary Quinto (@ZacharyQuinto) October 30, 2017
Hey @KevinSpacey you can choose to act like a pervert; you can’t “choose” to be gay. 🤨🤦🏻♂️
— Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) October 30, 2017
