SPANISH QUEEN SLATED FOR ANTI-GAY COMMENTS
Spain’s Queen Sofia has angered gay groups following anti-gay statements in her up-coming biography, titled The Queen Up Close.
The excerpts from the official biography, which were leaked by El Pais newspaper, surprised many as the Spanish monarchy has traditionally been reticent to comment on controversial political and social issues.
“I can understand, accept and respect that there are people of other sexual tendencies, but should they be proud to be gay? Should they ride on a parade float and come out in protests? If all of those of us who aren’t gay came out to protest we would halt traffic,” she says in the book.
The Greek-born Sofia, who is married to King Juan Carlos, also comments on the recent legalisation of same-sex marriage in Spain.
“If those people want to live together, dress up like bride and groom and marry, they could have a right to do so, or not, depending on the law of their country, but they should not call this matrimony,” she says, “because it isn’t. There are many possible names: social contract, social union.”
The Barcelona-based State Federation of Lesbians, Gays and Transsexuals asked the Queen to retract her comments, adding that, “It is unprecedented that the palace, which usually never comments on social issues, now has to vent about one group of citizens who have been discriminated against in the past.”
Written by journalist Pilar Urbano, The Queen Up Close was released on Sunday on the anniversary of the Queen’s 70th birthday.
In response to the flap, the palace released a statement regretting the “the inexactitude” of the quotes and that she has a “deep respect for all people, her closeness to all those who suffer, are hounded or persecuted.”
Urbano and the publishers have stood by the accuracy of the statements.
I agree with her. AND I’m gay. Frankly, the politicisation of the homo vs hereosexuality is just so boring already – and spare me the rhetoric about having fought for our rights…
She, like other readers of this “article”, are welcome to thier opinions. What I particularly liked was the phrase “they could have a right to do so”. Voltaire said he may not agree with what we say, but he would defend to the death our right to say it. But knowing a certain element of our society, there will be righteous outrage from those who don’t agree.. In my opinion, whether I agree with her or not, I shrug my shoulders and allow her (magnanimously) her opinion. The response to this posting will be revealing, if not a little predictable..
Puhleese. My dear, you are a pompous ass. Not for your opinion on the matter (which I may or may not agree with), but for your haughty, superior and patronising tone. The way you have expressed yourself is actually quite revealing when it comes to YOUR personality. You are, contrary to your belief, not any better than the rest of us.
Phile has a point. Seems Rolando fell right into the “predictable” group!
Play the ball not the man!. And maybe you should wait for the actual biography before getting your wedding dress into a knot
Yes, let them say what they want.. God knows we would never be rid of homophobia or even racism for that matter,,, so who de fucking hell cares whether the old hag feels that way
what?!. what the fuck is wrong with you people?! she’s a homophobe. if we had a protest here about her retarded book, i’d definately go. yeah, the whole marriage/civil union and homophobia thing is getting a little monotonous, but come on… let’s fight for our rights. don’t defend that fucker!
How do YOU know??. How can you label her a homophobe because she doesn’t agree with the term of “matrimony” while at the same time (according to the article in any event) she infers an acceptable (to her) – if different – terminology such as “social contract, social union”?
The palace has responded by suggesting an “inexactitude” of her statements but yet again, some gays go bashing the (boring) drum without having all the facts..If she had said gays should be tortured, banned, lesser citizens, I’d be right next to you supporting the anti homophobe campaign, but come on – let’s get the fact before we lynch her. After all, we are equally suspicious of those who want to lynch us.. Surely we can be better people? In any event, I really don’t care WHAT she wants to call it – as long as gays get the same rights associated with a union that straights do… I’ll leave the gay drum bashing to others…
yeah. yeah, i guess you have a point there…