Everyone at some point has read and been amused by Perez Hilton’s gossip site, myself included. His trash talk and elementary school-style drawings over images from all over the Web can be amusing. This month, the tables have turned on the celebrity blogger famous for posting “vadge” shots of Britney Spears when he became the focus of the story and ire within the LGBT community.
Reposting intimate and uncensored photos of Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black that his ex-boyfriend sold to a celeb photo site was, pardon the pun, below the belt. For Hilton, who’s openly gay and has been vocal about overturning Prop. 8, to repost the images — which he’s since removed — was just tacky. Black has been a stellar representative of the community just when we needed one. The speech he delivered while accepting the Oscar for Milk’s screenplay was moving and touching — not to mention an overnight viral hit. Hilton could have just as easily written about the photo sale without having to post the images. Or done one better and not cover the story at all.
Adding insult to injury, Hilton more recently used an anti-gay slur during a tussle with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and the band’s manager, Liborio “Polo” Molina. Rashad Robinson, GLAAD’s senior director of media programs, condemned Hilton for calling the rapper what the blogger said was “the worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear.” To top that off, Hilton, who has pressed charges against Molina, is upset that GLAAD didn’t support him for keeping the peace during an altercation where Molina allegedly struck the blogger. Please!
For a member of the LGBT community to commit such offenses to the community to which he belongs and supposedly supports is flat-out wrong. During a time when civil rights for gay and lesbian individuals are making headlines across the country, the community needs support — especially from those within it. Hilton has since issued an apology. But he really should know better.
Lesley Goldberg has a B.A. in journalism from Cal State Northridge and also contributes to Frontiers IN L.A. magazine, the Los Angeles Times and The Hollywood Reporter, where she serves as senior copy editor. She’s a self-professed pop culture junkie, loves all things vampire, the L.A. Dodgers and playing softball.
