Stonewall CEO attacks ‘posh, rich, white Western gays’ over Brunei boycott
Stonewall CEO Ruth Hunt has said it is “naive” to think that men who are gay are less sexist than straight men.
She was speaking after Charmed actress Rose McGowan claimed last month that gay people were “more misogynistic” and had “fought for the right to stand on top of a float wearing an orange speedo” taking MDMA.
Ruth Hunt told the Guardian: “I think misogyny is far more rampant in society than we give it credit for.
“Across all sorts of walks of life, both gay men and straight men. It’s naive to think that because a man is gay he is less or more likely to be sexist.”
She also laid into “posh, rich, white western gays” for supporting a boycott of Brunei-owned businesses, over the country’s implementation of laws criminalising gay sex.
Stonewall initially refused to cut its ties with the Brunei-owned Dorchester hotel, but later reversed its decision after outcry from supporters.
Ms Hunt said: “[We won’t use the Dorchester] because our supporters have made it very clear that they don’t want us to.
“[I’m fed up with] gesture politics which just make people feel better, but achieve nothing.
“The important campaigning issues around Sharia law in Brunei are actually about women.
“So posh, rich, white western gays saying: ‘What about the gays in Brunei?’ is singularly the most unhelpful thing we could do.”
Rose McGowan said last month: “I think it’s what happens to you as a group when you are starting to get most of what you fought for? What do you do now?
“What I would hope they would do is extend a hand to women.
“I see now people who have basically fought for the right to stand on top of a float wearing an orange speedo and take molly [MDMA].
“[Gay misogyny] is a huge problem.”
