Prime Minister John Key's recent comments about a radio host's ‘gay red top' has started a call for this Friday to be Gay Red Shirt Day.
John Key made the on-air comment last week, while talking to Jamie Mackay of The Farming Show.
John Key's recent comments have sparked calls for people to wear red shirts tomorrow.
The Gay Red Shirt Day Facebook page was started yesterday with the slogan 'Because, John, gay doesn't mean stupid” and encourages supporters to wear a red shirt this Friday.
The page already has more than 1400 likes and lots of people posting messages of support on the wall.
'It was a stupid thing for John to say really,” Bill Gray posted.
'He's the PM of a nation, not some obnoxious teenager.”
'Remind everyone, including the Prime Minister of New Zealand to watch their language,” it says.
'If you mean ‘stupid', say ‘stupid'. If you mean ‘weird', say ‘weird'.”
The page is the latest show of widespread concern over Mr Key's comments, with British actor Sir Ian McKellen and high profile New Zealanders voicing their concern.
'I do hope John Key listens to his critics and appreciates their concern,” McKellen wrote on his website.
Green Party MP Kevin Hague called the statement a 'homophobic playground slur” and a number of Green Party MPs wore red shirts to Parliament yesterday.
US parenting blogger Julie Savage has also picked up on the gaffe and is promoting Gay Red Shirt Day as an international event.
Staff and members of the Merivale Community Centre announced on their Facebook page that they will be wearing red shirts tomorrow.
Will you be wearing a red shirt tomorrow? – email [email protected]
What do you think about Gay Red Shirt Day?
8 comments
Are you serious?
Posted on 08-11-2012 12:44 | By the kurgan
Collapsing economies around the world because of corrupt global elite banking scam, GMO's polluting our environment and causing massive increase in disease especially cancers, endless mind-numbing garbage (corporate news, reality shows, soap operas, x factor, whatever idol, the voice, CSI somewhere new, etc) on the twit box polluting our children's minds, do goody lobby groups crying to government for handouts to support their misconceived noble causes. And you're all up in arms about offending some del usional minority group that now owns the word "gay", and we have to make a special red shirt day to make them feel better. I for one will not be wearing a bloody red shirt. I'm NOT sorry if I have offended someone or some group and in the words of Chopper "Harden the F__k up you bunch of sooks"
Get a life
Posted on 08-11-2012 12:46 | By DiB
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. His comment was off the cuff and totally innocent. People need to get a life as there is so so much more that needs to be worried about than that. The world recession for one.
Gay can mean lots of things and it's not derogatory
Posted on 08-11-2012 12:49 | By Phailed
Have these people nothing better to do? What a humourless, petty and politically correct nation we are becoming. The protests seem more about John Key's politics to me. I couldn't care less what Merivale Community Centre staff are going to wear. Who pays them and how much?
Language
Posted on 08-11-2012 12:51 | By RawPrawn
Nothwithstanding John Key's foot in his mouth, can anyone tell me what gave homosexuals the right to misappropriate the word 'gay' and apply it to their sexual preference?? I've known women named Gay who must struggle every time they meet someone - "Hi, I'm Gay"!!. Bill Gray says '....'If you mean ‘stupid', say ‘stupid'. If you mean ‘weird', say ‘weird'....' Well Bill, if you mean 'homosexual', say 'homosexual'!
Grandad
Posted on 08-11-2012 14:06 | By Hiwinui
Aren't homosexuals touchy? First they try to change the meaning of gay from a'happy and carefree" and then complain when it is used in its original meaning. Get over it. I'm certainly over them poluting our language. I really object to their misuse of the word Hero.
Gay means happy
Posted on 08-11-2012 19:50 | By sojourner
Gay does not mean Homosexual, it means happy. Homosexuals have (mis)appropriated the word to describe their sexual orientation as being happy. Lol. I have yet to meet one person of homosexual orientation who is actually happy with him- or herself. So what I think about it is this: get off your misinformed, badly educated high horse and don't take yourself so ridiculously seriously Mr.Gray, and try to not take offense so quickly.
Ever heard him?
Posted on 08-11-2012 21:22 | By tibs
Has anyone ever listened to Jamie Mackay on the Farming Show? By the looks of what's been said above I believe not. The comment was probably appropriate to the type of show it is from my experience of listening to it. Mr Mackay likes to play the juvenile version of devil's advocate.
You're offended, so what?
Posted on 09-11-2012 11:17 | By Phailed
I read elsewhere that this was supposedly said by Stephen Fry in response to the growth of the being offended industry. I think it's appropriate to this argument which is making a mountain out of a molehill. I'm glad we have a PM who is human and can make light-hearted comments. I hope the Merivale Centre isn't going to ask for ratepayer funding ever. Not appropriate for political causes.
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