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Gay Rights Group SLAMS Kobe -- 'What A Disgrace'

4/13/2011 11:43 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Kobe Bryant's homophobic outburst "perpetuates a culture of discrimination and hate" ... so says a gay rights group which has deemed last night's incident as "horribly offensive."


TMZ spoke with the Human Rights Campaign -- who told us, "What a disgrace for Kobe Bryant to use such horribly offensive and distasteful language, especially when millions of people are watching."


As we previously reported, Kobe appeared to have mouthed the words "f**king f**got" towards an NBA ref last night after he was hit with a technical foul.


For more sports stories, check out tmzsports.com!

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For crying out loud the comment was clearly not directed towards the gay's it was clearly out of frustration. I swear people these days!!! What happened to the 1st amendment (The freedom of speech?) was that amended without me knowing? I am sure Koby is not the 1st athlete or the last to cuss out of frustration! As for the organization please review the amendments!!!

1184 days ago


Damn Straight!

1184 days ago

The realist    

Context is everything. I can pull sentences, phrases, "slurs," quotes, etc. from something that just about every person, source, group, etc. and find something that will offend someone or a group of people.

The way this term was used was, as u said "silly and offensive" but really GLADD or any other groups or people out there don't have any place being "offensive" police. This "slur" was used in a the context of competitive sports. Competitive sports are an outlet for two main things competitiveness and entertainment. The competitive nature of sports is always taken as a metaphor for a battle field or war. While in no way do I think it really mirrors the horrific ways of war, it does capture two sides battling it out for victory. In the context of battle, or even in a simpler context of an athlete doing their job an then an outside force (the ref. In this case) inhibiting them from accomplishing their goal, the anger that arises should be considered as part of the context. Kobe was silly for getting this irrate and his anger was not controlled. However, to say the term "fa**ot," by itself, when not directed at the group it is most commonly associated with as a derogatory term, is somehow "homophobic" in it of itself, is completely asinine.

The other part of the nature of sports is entertainment. While I don't condone much of the "offensive" language that may be used in sports, I don't condemn it either. If there was no anger, fire, "hate," in sports it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining.

How many movies, mostly comedies, are released every year, with "offensive" language in them. Someone or some group is bound to be offended by every movie with a rating of PG-13 or higher. The only difference here, is marketing. Athletes are like actors, they get paid hefty sums of money to compete and entertain. There are villians and heros. You, as the audience or fan, get to chokse sides. We have this idea that pro sports and pro athletes are somehow supposed to check their emotion, egos, outside lives at the door, and keep everything PG for the little kiddies. I'm in favor of dismissing the notion that pro sports is for everyone. If you don't like what you see don't watch, but don't spoil the movie, or in this case the competitive fire and sometimes misguided hate, for the rest of the people watching.

Gays, and I personally don't even like that word, because again it makes them sound like they aren't equal, but they don't have to go see a movie that they know may contain some offensive material, like an American pie movie, or national lampoon movie, or some other film that some may find offensive. The key there is "some" and choice. No one has to watch Kobe, or any other athlete that has proved over the years they aren't a pillar or poster boy for the upstanding citizen.
Should Kobe apologize? Only if Bennie Adams was offended. But, given the context of the situation, I'm sure he wod understand, when things get heated the script that everyone in society tries to follow sometimes goes out the window.

1184 days ago


There is no excuse for anti-gay language and gay people are not sensitive for standing up for their rights, dignity and humanity. The ONLY people crying over-sensitivity are BULLIES, and people who USE these words, without realizing the IMPACT these words have. People who have been spoon fed their whole lives. If you would live one day in the shoes of a gay person you wouldn't ever say they are over-sensitive. No, it's that you "over-sensitive" types have no respect towards gay people nor ANYONE and think you can say whatever you want, whenever you want, about whoever you want. That's not how things work in a civil society. Freedom of speech doesn't=freedom from responsibility. You say something hateful, you will get called out on it. Stop making excuses, and stop the hate.

1184 days ago


Stop complaining you immoral, scandalous, greedy, lustful pricks. You are far worse than those that oppose the homosexual agenda.

1184 days ago

Mrs. Gossip     

All all fairness to Kobe, the Refs in the NBS today really are a bunch of ***s. They ruined the playoffs last years and about about to do the same this year. F*ck Kobe and David Stern BTW.

1184 days ago


Kay esse, you are one evil person. For starters, don't ever speak for me or any NORMAL heterosexual again. Normal world is not homophobic world. Homophobia is a personality disorder. NONE of my straight friends are homophobic. A majority of people in America do NOT believe homosexuality to be immoral. WAY over half of people 35 and under are for same-sex marriage and gay rights in general.

Secondly, you do have a right to your disgusting beliefs. And they are criticized accordingly. Gay people chosen to life live on the fringe? Hmmmm, can you show me where you came up in believing being gay is a choice? I didn't choose to not be gay. I didn't have that option on the table. I guess you did, and yeah, you're not 100% straight. Maybe that's why you're so paranoid about this non-issue.

Thirdly, being gay is not a way of life. It's not a lifestyle. It's not an agenda. It's not brainwashing. Sex between two men and women are not much different than HETEROSEXUAL sex. It's virtually the same sex acts. Also, why do you define people by the SEX they have? Are you that perverted? I guess so. Sad, but not surprising. If you think your acceptance is needed or even valued, you're mistaken. You're disordered. Don't ever forget that kay esse. Medical organizations consider people like you PERSONALITY DISORDERED. So yeah, have fun ruining lives with your homophobia while thinking that somehow everyone loves and supports your bigotry.

1184 days ago

The realist    

I support equality and human rights. And I would be willing to die for anyone who's "rights" and "humanity" are infringed upon. That being said, this story about Kobe has not infringed upon anybody's rights. There shouldn't be a single person that woke up today, saw what Kobe said, and feel they have less rights than anyone else. And, while i know people who are gay are still fighting for equality and this occurrence does nothing to further that Nobel cause, it really hasn't slowed or down either.

Offensive maybe. infringing upon rights and the ability to live life as you see fit, nope. There is no "right to not be offended by anything ever" as a mixed race amputee, there's plenty of jokes and stereotypes against every group of people imaginable that are always discounted becaus ether don't affect a "majority" of people. If I see someone or something somehow poke fun of or denigrate someone with one leg, should I be offended? Should I criticize everyone else around me that may have laughed at said joke and claim they're insensitive? I don't think so, that would destroy society if every thing that one group of people found "offensive" was chastised publically every single time.

Offensive and infringing against rights are different. As much as I would love everything in life to be equal, it isn't completely possible because we are all different and we can a find something to be offended about, but you move on because you can and because if you truly believe in equality, then you realize that that also means equal opportunity to be "offended" occasionally.

1184 days ago


#154 @ Kelly......

Okay, pause, take a deep breath and slow down. Periods, commas, and CAPITAL letters help us understand where sentences begin and end. It is also very useful to help us understand what you are saying and if it makes sense........................................................................... just saying!

1184 days ago


Little Lou-Lou, gay isn't a lifestyle. So, your entire rant falls short or being coherent and making sense. As for bullying, look in the mirror. You aren't a victim of anyone but yourself and your irrational bigotry.

1184 days ago

greg helmuth    

it never ceases to amaze me. this is a non-story. i would tell people to quit being so sensitive but I might hurt somebody's feelings! give me a break!!!

1184 days ago


@14 blacks say ****** all the time, but if a whiter person says it it is a very different situation.

1184 days ago


Did he refer to that referee as a small bundle of sticks? That's absolutely retarded!

1184 days ago


someones always crying about something why do you let other people bother you

1184 days ago


SO, according to the Flyboy, people who have morals and do not approve of the perverted behavior called homosexualism are the ones who have mental issues...the things that we have to read here...PLEASE
It is a chosen behavior, nobody is born GAY, end of the story, you could say whatever you want to support your perverted, Imean yours friends perverted lifestyles but it is against nature Period.

1184 days ago

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