Veteran gay actor George Takei launches scathing attack on ‘homophobe’ Rush Limbaugh over Pete Buttigieg
George Takei attacked Rush Limbaugh after he made an anti-gay remark about Pete Buttigieg. (Getty)
George Takei did not hold back when criticising right-wing commentator Rush Limbaugh for his anti-gay remarks about Pete Buttigieg.
The Star Trek actor spoke out after Limbaugh asked how parents would explain Buttigieg kissing his husband Chasten Buttigieg to their children.
Limbaugh – who was handed a Presidential Medal of Freedom on February 5 by Donald Trump – said he “saw a political ad, where Mayor Pete, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, going on and on and on and on and on, about how parents in America are struggling to explain President Trump to their children”.
Holding up a photo of Buttigieg kissing his husband, he continued: “And then I happen to see this. You think — natural conclusion — so he says Trump causes problems for parents, what about that?”
Takei responded to Limbaugh on Twitter, explaining parents would find it “easy”.
“They’re in love and married. That’s a whole lot easier than explaining why a misogynistic, racist, homophobe has a damn Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Rush Limbaugh asked how parents would explain to their kids @PeteButtigieg kissing his husband @Chas10Buttigieg.
Easy. They’re in love and married.
That’s a whole lot easier than explaining why a misogynistic, racist, homophobe has a damn Presidential Medal of Frredom.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) February 12, 2020
Followers were quick to applaud Takei, who became a prominent LGBT+ activist upon coming out as gay in 2005 and is among Trump’s most vocal critics.
Damned straight George. My kids have been raised to understand that love is love and that as long as it’s between two consenting adults nothing else matters. Homophobia is so ugly. So unnecessary. So ignorant. So hateful and fearful. It’s gotta get fixed somehow. It’s up to us.
— Cheryl (@chuerta1) February 13, 2020
He’s far more comfortable with hate than love.
— Arianeh Sajadi (@ArianehSajadi) February 12, 2020
For me, explaining the relationship between Donald and Melania would be much more of a challenge.
— Rocky Mountain Views (@RockyMountViews) February 13, 2020
Donald Trump gave Rush Limbaugh Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Trump awarded Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom – America’s highest civilian honour – for his “decades of tireless devotion to our country”.
Throughout his career the shock jock has actively worked against HIV awareness and marriage equality, and has a history of making anti-gay and anti-trans remarks.
In 1989 he said that the best way of preventing HIV transmission was “do not ask another man to bend over and make love at the exit point”.
Around this time he routinely campaigned against funding for HIV research, complaining in 1995 that it was “the only federally protected virus”.
In 2010, while discussing same-sex marriage, he said of equality campaigners: “They seek to impose their perverted views, their depraved views on family and marriage.”
According to GLAAD Limbaugh “routinely uses the slur tranny”. In 2018 he claimed being trans is a “fad” that people use to “tick off their parents”.
While presenting Limbaugh with the Medal of Freedom, Trump called him “a special man, someone beloved by millions of Americans”.
He also addressed Limbaugh’s recent stage four cancer diagnosis, saying: “He is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet.”
