Unicorn Booty picked up on a site that marketed this T-shirt. It was created to sell after Alabama beat up on LSU tonight in some bowl game or something in New Orleans (the score would be printed at the end of the game and distributed in the hours afterward). “Homeaux” is supposed to be a French play on “Homo.” Unicorn Booty asked people to write to the site owners and express how they feel.
The readers obviously did that. In response, site owner Chris Ivey immediately removed the site, explained he didn’t mean to be homophobic, and apologized. He wrote on Unicorn Booty’s site:
I came across your website about the shirts. I must admit that I did not think of the fact that these shirts could offend homosexuals. Rather, they were aimed towards LSU fans as a joke leading up to the big game. Seeing now the reaction has opened my eyes to the hurtful nature that this shirt presents towards certain people, and because of this I have taken the site down. I have members of my family who are gay, and in no way do I view homosexual in a negative light as someone’s personal opinion is their own. This was a misguided joke and the site will cease to exist.
I now see the negativity these shirts produced towards homosexuals, and not a joke towards LSU fans. My sincere apologies are to anyone who was offended.
How did the readers respond when he removed the site like they asked, discontinued the T-shirt and apologized sincerely? They attacked him, of course. Why are so many gay people so unforgiving? The guy couldn’t have done more to express his regret. Man, we gotta grow up.
on Jan 9th, 2012 at 7:14 PM
It sounds like a sincere apology. He took the site down. It was not cool to create the shirt in the first place but he gave a sincere apology. I’ve made mistakes in my life and given apologies. It would have really torn me up to continue being beaten up about it. We humans live and learn with each other. Give the man a break. Showing compassion can bring love and an ally. By the way, I’m a Lesbian. I don’t like hateful behavior regardless of where it comes from. Let’s not be hateful ourselves.
on Jan 9th, 2012 at 8:02 PM
I’m not sure why some gay people are unforgiving at times. Maybe they’re just exasperated by all the insults and hatred, and they can’t recognize honest attempts to apologize. It’s not justified, then again being told by the Pope today that ‘gay marriage endangers humanity’ isn’t justified either.
The fact that we’re demonized isn’t an excuse. Thanks to Chris (if you ever read this) for taking the site down and apologizing. Best wishes in your future.
on Jan 9th, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Illiteracy in two languages? What’s to apologize for? Unless it’s to their parents who paid for these schools that are educating them.
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 1:14 PM
I’m glad he apologized and took down the site. However, I don’t really get how he didn’t realize it would be offensive in the first place. Maybe I am just being oversensitive but I am just tired of ignorance.
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Glad he took it down, too. Also glad that he apologized so profusely. Didn’t care too much for the choice of words in one part though: “…someone’s personal opinion is their own.” Being gay is not an opinion, a choice, a decision, etc. It’s who we are!
on Jan 10th, 2012 at 5:54 PM
I understand him. Growing up in small-town New England, there were words I used and I had no idea they were bad until I moved to California. I knew the N-word and F-words were bad, but derogatory terms for Chinese and Japanese people, among others – I simply didn’t know they were derogatory.
I found out because I asked my two Taiwanese friends in the first couple weeks of college – who had quickly become my best friends – if they wanted to have Chinese food…except I used a very derogatory term. They looked at each other…”what did you just say?” They quickly explained that wasn’t cool – and they understood I had no idea. I didn’t use it again. So understand what this guy is saying.
on Jan 11th, 2012 at 6:32 AM
I’m not buying that apology at all. Well. Except for the part when he said, “I must admit that I did not think….” the rest was just b.s.
on Jan 11th, 2012 at 2:53 PM
I don’t even buy the he didn’t think” part. I’d say it was more he didn’t think he would be caught and called out on it so quickly. It’s so obvioulsy insulting to gay people – calling out LSU on their loss and suggesting because of their loss they’re not “real men”, they’re fags. It also ridicules Louisiana’s French/Acadian/Cajun heritage.