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'Straight pride' group removes Brad Pitt as mascot after actor complains 'Straight pride' group removes Brad Pitt as mascot after actor complains
(about 3 hours later)
A group of activists defending heterosexual rights have taken down a photograph of Brad Pitt from its website. Super Happy Fun America had adopted the actor as an unofficial mascot for the movement, which seeks to “advocates on behalf of the straight community” and describes straight people as “an oppressed majority”. A small group of men with ties to far-right groups who have applied for a license to hold a “Straight Pride March” in the US have taken down a photograph of Brad Pitt from their website after the actor complained.
Three men, who call their “campaign” Super Happy Fun America, had adopted the actor as an unofficial mascot for the “movement”, which “advocates on behalf of the straight community” and describes straight people as “an oppressed majority”.
The move follows a complaint by Pitt’s representatives, who confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter on Thursday that they had officially requested the group stop using his name and likeness.The move follows a complaint by Pitt’s representatives, who confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter on Thursday that they had officially requested the group stop using his name and likeness.
The site had previously declared: “Congratulations to Mr Pitt for being the face of this important civil rights movement.” The line was accompanied by two photographs of the actor: one from the 2005 film Mr & Mrs Smith, in which he co-starred with his future spouse Angelina Jolie, and another in which he is being lassoed by his former wife Jennifer Aniston. The three men aiming to organize the event in Boston, planned for 31 August, include Mark Sahady, who has ties to the Proud Boys, which has been classified by the FBI as a rightwing extremist group. The men have not been granted a permit yet.
The site’s homepage now prominently displays an amended version of its previous announcement, redacting the actor’s name and declaring the images “censored”, while another post, published on Friday, revealed its new mascot as the controversial author and far-right activist Milo Yiannopoulos. Boston’s pride march takes place this weekend. The city’s mayor, Marty Walsh, tweeted that permits for events were granted on the basis of “operational feasibility”, adding: “The City of Boston cannot deny a permit based on an organization’s values.
“Due to a scheduling conflict,” reads a press release, “our former mascot is no longer available. Not to worry, we found someone younger, more handsome, and more in tune with heroic masculine virtues.” “Whatever outside groups may try do, our values won’t change,” he tweeted. “I invite each and every person to stand with us, and show that love will always prevail. Join us in celebration this Saturday for the @bostonpride Parade and in the fight for progress and equality for all.”
Yiannopoulos will act as both mascot and grand marshall of a proposed parade to be staged by the group in Boston, mirroring the route taken by the city’s annual Pride parade. Chasten Buttigieg, whose husband is 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, highlighted the dangers faced by LGBTQ people in the US and across the world in a series of tweets.
Questions you may want to ask yourself before organizing an identity based parade: Is it/ was it ever legal for me to be jailed for my identity? Can I be denied housing/health services because of how I identity?Is it legal to kill me in other countries for how I identify?
The New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked the concept of “straight pride”.
Will “Straight Pride” be a Freaky Friday type situation where all of our history books, movies, stories, media, news, etc feature mostly LGBTQ+ people & perspectives?Will people have to come out as straight?What would folks march in? Socks w/ sandals on? Dad jeans? https://t.co/7SUiWHWRMd
The Super Happy Fun America website had previously featured two pictures of Pitt, and declared: “Congratulations to Mr Pitt for being the face of this important civil rights movement.”
The site’s homepage now prominently displays an amended version of its previous announcement, redacting the actor’s name and declaring the images “censored”, while another post, published on Friday, said its new mascot was the controversial author and far-right activist Milo Yiannopoulos.
Yiannopoulos will act as both mascot and grand marshal of a proposed parade to be staged by the group in Boston, mirroring the route taken by the city’s annual Pride parade.
The rise and fall of Milo Yiannopoulos – how a shallow actor played the bad guy for moneyThe rise and fall of Milo Yiannopoulos – how a shallow actor played the bad guy for money
“I might technically be a sequined and perfectly coiffed friend of Dorothy’s,” says Yiannopoulos in a statement, “but I’ve spent my entire career advocating for the rights of America’s most brutally repressed identity – straight people – so I know a thing or two about discrimination. Sahady said the proposed march was a response to the Massachusetts administration turning down the group’s request that a “straight pride flag” be raised at city hall.
“This parade is a gift to anyone, male or female, black or white – gay and transgender allies, too! – who will stand with us and celebrate the wonder and the majesty of God’s own heterosexuality. Men, bring your most toxic selves. Women, prepare to burn your briefcases! Because it’s great to be straight, and we’re not apologising for it any more. We’re Here, Not Queer.” “We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgment and hate,’ said John Hugo, president of the group.
The club’s vice president, Mark Sahady, said the proposed march was a response to the Massachusetts administration turning down the group’s request that a “straight pride flag” be raised at city hall.
“We will fight for the right of straights everywhere to express pride in themselves without fear of judgment and hate,’ said John Hugo, president of the group. “The day will come when straights will finally be included as equals among all of the other orientations.”
On Wednesday, the actor Chris Evans took issue with the group’s proposed march on Twitter, describing it as the work of closeted toddlers.On Wednesday, the actor Chris Evans took issue with the group’s proposed march on Twitter, describing it as the work of closeted toddlers.
Pitt, who has won praise for his role as an ageing stuntman in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, said in 2006 that he would only marry his then girlfriend, Angelina Jolie, when people of all sexual orientations could do so in the US.
Pitt’s activism to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 legislation that temporarily made same-sex marriage illegal again California, has involved substantial financial donations to the cause, as well as taking part in a staged reading of Dustin Lance Black’s play about the legislation.
Wow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of ‘Straight Pride’ parade, how about this: The ‘desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children’ parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose?? https://t.co/gaBWtq2PaLWow! Cool initiative, fellas!! Just a thought, instead of ‘Straight Pride’ parade, how about this: The ‘desperately trying to bury our own gay thoughts by being homophobic because no one taught us how to access our emotions as children’ parade? Whatta ya think? Too on the nose?? https://t.co/gaBWtq2PaL
Pitt, who has won praise for his role as an ageing stuntman in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, said in 2006 that he would only marry his then-girlfriend, Angelina Jolie, when people of all sexual orientations could do so in the US. His activism to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 legislation that temporarily made same-sex marriage illegal again California, has involved substantial financial donations to the cause, as well as taking part in a staged reading of Dustin Lance Black’s play about the legislation.
Brad PittBrad Pitt
Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie
Jennifer AnistonJennifer Aniston
LGBT rightsLGBT rights
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