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Kevin Spacey’s recent scandal has garnered enough attention that I’m pretty sure almost everyone has already heard about it. I found myself scrolling through Facebook when I stumbled upon a post by one of my friend’s. It read: “R.I.P. My love and respect for Kevin Spacey.” As soon as I read this, I had to go to Google to find out what had happened. That’s when I saw the headlines. I was startled, and laughing nervously as I continued reading the news.
I couldn’t believe it.
A two-time Oscar-winning actor that won the respect of many because of his many admirable and memorable portrayals actually committed this violation.
I got mad at myself for praising him. The fact that he’s an amazing actor does not excuse him for this heinous crime. For those of you that don’t know what I’m talking about: Anthony Rapp, another actor, accused Spacey of forcing himself onto him when Rapp was 14 years old. Kevin Spacey’s representative team took the “No comment.” route in regards to the allegations, but Mr. Spacey himself tried to take matters into his own hands by tweeting out an “apology” for any action he might have done to Rapp, but that if he did, he does not recall it, as he was drunk at the time. Then on a sour note, he decides to navigate the world of bigotry by making a pseudo-apology and then he decides to come out in the very same statement, as a calculated maneuver to alienate us from what he was accused of.
Anthony Rapp’s story is sustainable, as he recalls disclosing said events to many people throughout the years. He came forward because of all the victims that did when Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault allegations came to light.
The importance of all of the dilemma surrounding said actors is to remember where they stand. Spacey does not recall the events, and he makes a humiliating apology. Then proceeds to come out of the closet as a distraction. You might never think there’s a bad time to come out, that is until this Oscar winner did it.
Why is the fact that he’s gay relevant to the accusations of sexual misconduct?
It sets back all the efforts that have been made in the LGBTBQ+ community to be more accepted. Instead of teaching acceptance, Spacey’s comments send a message that homosexuality is correlated to pedophilia and rape. It gives a very ignorant reason for anti-gay communities to attack and give backlash to a community that has been marginalized for ages. With laws that still allow for the murder of gay individuals, just because they’re gay, it is no surprise many actors and activists are outraged by the path Kevin Spacey chose to take.
Photos courtesy of USA Today and Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage .