Dolce And Gabbana Respond To Backlash Over Controversial Remarks
Gay designing duo, Dolce and Gabbana has responded to a boycott of their brand by celebrities including Elton John, Ricky Martin, Sharon Stone, and Ryan Murphy with about as little class as some of their more gaudy designs. They’ve appropriated the “je suis Charlie” slogan that was used after the Paris attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that left twelve people dead.
Last week, the former couple was quoted in the Italian magazine Panorama saying, “We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offspring and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed.”
Naturally, that didn’t go over too well. Elton John responded, writing on Instagram, “How dare you refer to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic.’ And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again.”
Elton also included a #BoycottDolceGabbana hashtag, which promptly lit up like wildfire.
Now the designers are trying to play the free speech victim card, adopting “je suis D&G” as a slogan and urging their supporters to #BoycottEltonJohn.
But the move is beyond tacky. Nobody is arguing against their right to say stupid things in interviews, yet in the same breath they somehow manage to call Elton John a ‘fascist’ for his boycott while waging their own attack on anyone who opposes them.
In a press release on Sunday, Gabbana said, “It was never our intention to judge other people’s choices. We do believe in freedom and love,” and Dolce added that they weren’t “judging other people’s choices.”
Here are some of the celebrity reactions on Twitter:
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58 Comments
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 06:05Ghen ghen
Sales will drop and stock prices will fall and the board will force them to apologize and retract
Karl Lagerfeld and Adele anyone?
There is such a thing as political correctness idiots
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 06:15Adele?
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 06:25Karl Lagerfeld who is the CD director of Chanel called Adele fat in an interview. Chanel sales started dropping as fans started boycotting the brand. Karl had to do a public apology.
Rapum
March 17, 06:31Way to go! Nonsense talk. Nothing irritates me more than a gay person undermining the cause. They didn’t even think of how the things they said would affect the children born through IVF.
McGray
March 17, 06:50This is shear stupidity of the highest rank! Whether Elton John likes it or not this D&G fashion is GREAT. Ev’ryone is entitled to his opinion including Elton, but that shouldn’t be the reason for him to jeopardise their career. Fuck Elton. #BoycottEltonJohn
Deola
March 17, 07:27You’re actually serious??? This is how you actually feel about two people calling people’s children chemical and synthetic? This is how you feel about two people trying to gain sympathy by equating this situation with that of Charlie Hebdo??
Did Elton stop them from saying whatever they wanted to say?? Nope. They have a right to air their personal opinions public, and we the public can react to it as we choose. This is the public reacting.
So don’t bring that free speech bullshit excuse here, no one is buying it, except you it would seem.
And he isn’t the jeopardizing their career, their ignorant selves are dong that all by themselves.
And now you think it’s because Elton is jealous??? Lol. I can’t even get into this one.
Peak
March 17, 09:10Standing ova for Dee
McGray
March 17, 06:52And i sense Jealousy too.
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 06:53LMAO! That Elton John is jealous of Dolce and Gabbana? Seriously? Do tell. What has he to be jealous about?
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 07:10I taya! Elton John is the queen of pop!
The Queen!
THE QUEEN!
What does he have to be jealous about?
Kid yourself not, if celebrities stop wearing D&G the brand is about to tank. Do you even know how many celebs had babies through IVF and surrogacy?
Max
March 17, 07:13They should go to hell.
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 07:14LOL. Quick question, Max. Have u started promoting Elton John’s #BoycottDolceAndGabbana hashtag on twitter yet? 🙂
Max
March 17, 07:37This might sound strange, but I don’t tweet.. My twitter account is dormant.
Peak
March 17, 08:40Max u are not alone oooooo
I don’t even know how twitter really works.
I just get headlines and weblinks from the ppl I’m following, that’s all
Max
March 17, 09:28Lol.
sinnex
March 17, 09:28I thought I was the only one. I have been on Twitter since 2009, I visit everyday, yet, I still don’t know how it works. I don’t even know how to follow conversations. It seem so boring to me.
Max
March 17, 10:20I guess a Lastma jacket is already in order for the three of us.
Khaleesi
March 17, 14:35Are you LASTMA hoes for real?? Twitter is the best thing to ever happen to me, i abso-fucking-lutely love it!!!! I can scorch and rain down fire on religitards and homophobes freely and with ease!!! Facebook is boring, IG is just for show-offs … Twitter is where the real deal is!
KryxxX
March 17, 07:14Inukwa!
Can somebody ask this Aturu ugwu awusa nd ewu Gambia to just shut up already! Ah ah!
You weren’t judging other ppl choices but u called their kids chemical whatever! Those same Rented uterus has helped a lot of ppl too even straights! U just judged their inability to bear kids naturally! Who is fooling who? Failed attempt @ retraction! It won’t work! Sales would drop nd u guys shall lose big time!
Their types r d ones dat gives homophobes the right to think that all gays r dumb! Both looking like njaba spirits!
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 07:17I shudder to think how those vitriolic homophobes will be reacting to the news on Linda Ikeji.
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 07:45They are having a party there right now! I took a peek, there was blood
KyrxxX
March 17, 07:52Hian!
Don’t even get me started on LIB oh! Saw the story there yesterday, read it nd fled from d comments! With stories like this I don’t touch comments there even with a Nepa pole! I wouldn’t want to b screaming @ my phone in rage like a mad man!
simba
March 17, 07:15Those miserable bastards.. common sense seems not so common anymore.. they should just die lonely and miserably.. their billions can’t save them or give them family.. may wht they wish on fellow gays, revert and hunt them. @chestnut as of yesterday, just wanna say, ur ain’t a celebrity and ur opinions don’t count much, don’t mean to disrespect u.. but these bastards D&G have huge fan base and their words are like laws, they forgot tht there is a level one will reach in life, and certain opinions would rather be kept private… unfortunately they are too rich to feel any pains from stock crash or etc.. miserable people.. I wonder how they sleep at night, with such self hate..
Deola
March 17, 07:31E! live from the red carpet…
Guliana: who are you wearing???
Celebrity: Dolce & Gabbana.
Guiliana: guurrrl! Even I know that shit ain’t right.
Mandy
March 17, 07:36ROTLMAO!!!
Fashion Police showroom…
Kathy Griffin replacement: So how about so-and-so celebrity wearing Dolce and Gabbana?
Giulana: I feel like she smells of spaghetti sauce and cigar.
Twitter: Hell Yeah!
KyrxxX
March 17, 07:56Deola et Mandy, u guys r 50 shades of nasty, naughty nd hilarious! More like *in Cookie’s voice* “…….sister gal! Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! That sure ain’t right.”.
Absalom
March 17, 08:13A boycott is unnecessary. Dolce and Gabby have said something silly and hurtful. What they need is to be told off and re-educated with sound alternative arguments – as has been done in several places.
If business is going to go down for D&G let it be a public decision, not one championed by celebrities who seem to be exploiting their pop power. Are we going to pick up arms tomorrow and march to war just because a celeb said so? Going out of our way to perish these men’s source of livelihood makes us look insecure and vindictive. I thought the expression was “taking the high road”…? Twitter outrage is usually shallow and fizzles out in weeks anyway.
Deola
March 17, 08:34I saw folks on Twitter burning their D&G clothing and their sunglasses, and I just laughed. Biko who dey lose? You’re throwing something expensive that you bought with hard earned money, how does that affect anybody but you? If you want to be rid of it, at least donate them to people who need them.
I personally feel indifferent towards the boycott, I am not for it or against it. Besides it’s hollywood, another scandal will soon blow up and this is mostly forgotten…and celebrities go back to wearing D&G again.
Besides who is Ryan Murphy kidding? Their comments might be distasteful, but their outfits are awesome. His bias and sentiments are showing.
Rapum
March 17, 10:33Yes, it is true that people will go back to wearing their brand. But that isn’t to undermine the symbolism of the act of burning the D&G stuff. It’s an act of solidarity, and its meaning is never lost no matter how ephemeral. These people didn’t just air their view. Think of the children born through ‘unconventional’ means who will have to struggle with this kind of insensitivity in future.
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 09:05Absalom while a boycott may be a tall order, these men do not need to be educated because they KNOW! If this were to come from a regular john then that’s fine, not from the DandG guys. They have made clothes for people who used IVF, and it’s insensitive.
People in power/influence should know that when you goof there will be consequences. Paula Deen lost it all because of a racist slur, Tommy Hilfiger has been in this kind of water before.
I support the action, they should think through before talking
Khaleesi
March 17, 14:38nope!! i diasagree!!! people should learn the value of extreme caution in their utterances, especially when they are celebs with a huge and adoring fan base who cling on to their every word … i support the boycott!!
Colossus
March 17, 09:01Their ‘apology’ was tasteless and I’m indifferent to a boycott as I have no single item of D&G.
I’ll say this though, Ryan Murphy who are you kidding? You ruined Glee. You made it uglier than anything D&G ever made. You keep breaking our hearts with every show you get us invested in so how is that distant from D&G? Shouldn’t you guys be all bros and stuff?
Ok, I have to stop. Who knew seeing Ryan Murphy’s name can get me so riled up.
Max
March 17, 09:41What did Ryan so to Glee?
Max
March 17, 09:44*do
Colossus
March 17, 13:19He created it, was doing well then he left it and focused on another project. Glee then went to shit
kendigin
March 17, 09:12Oh how sad…so this is how the great D&G choose to exit the market.
The both of them are about as stupid as they are full of internalized bigotry.
By the time the international community is done with them, the will quickly get back together and procreate through ivf.
Silly bunch!
sinnex
March 17, 09:36If any of you guys decide to get rid of any D&G product in your possession, please, don’t forget the guy next door. I wouldn’t mind if you sow a seed into my life.
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I think there should be a way to separate personal lives from businesses. While, what they said might be in bad faith, I don’t see why anyone would want to destroy their business. This is something they spent years on, now, someone decides to bring it down.
What people fail to realize is that, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. You cannot force your opinion on others. Whether you like it or not, it is their opinion. Celebrity or not. I don’t see why anyone should get riled up because of that. Besides we all have different perceptions about homosexuality.
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 09:43It’s about political correctness honey!
Having said that, my sunglasses which is the only authentic DandG piece that I own is going No where!
Dubem
March 17, 09:54There’s something called ‘consequence’. If you’re ready to want to express your opinion, no matter how unpopular, then you should be ready for whatever fallout there is to what you’ve said. For instance, if chizzie has decided to doggedly express his opinion about DM, then he should expect the consequence of PP’s wrath. Right?
If D&G wants to talk, fine. Just don’t get all snippy when there’s consequence. Freedom of expression is all well and good. So is freedom of reaction. You don’t excuse someone for saying something horrible, and then shit on someone else for reacting unfavorably to it.
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 10:01Lol. Hian
kendigin
March 17, 11:04Dubem you are very correct
It is their right to speak. Its our right to react and not buy that stupid fashion wares.
Gad
March 17, 12:11What goes around comes around. You think you are enjoying a ride with the crowd but one day your turn will come. Bear these in mind, the measure you used for others will be used for you one day and like you rightly said be ready to take responsibility for your actions.
Khaleesi
March 17, 14:42when you are a celeb with millions of adoring fans who cling to your every word, every flick of your wrist, every flutter of your eyelash, then your opinion is not as harmless as that of the man next door. You have a duty imposed on you to carefully weigh the impact of whatever you say or do #PoliticalCorrectness … am eagerly waiting with suppressed glee for the massive dent in revenue that will hit their label … goddamn bigots!!!
chestnut
March 17, 10:18Hmm…a lot of y’all are up in ur feelings about this issue. D and G stated their opinion, and thus they should be boycotted? If we were to constantly boycott every business whose owners have an opinion contrary to our own on certain subject, we would hardly have any businesses to patronise!
I understand how their comment about “synthetic children” is crass;that was not the part of their statement that I supported (I totally support adoption and IVF and other miracles of science that can help a couple have children of their own),but I also understand what they mean when they imply that a “traditional” family unit is easier for them to come to terms with.
So I broke a lot of hearts yesterday with my comments? Lol. You guys need to understand that opinions will always differ,and that’s not a bad thing. If u keep expecting everyone around u to share ur opinion on certain issue,then u’re setting urself up for regular disappointment. It’s common here that when someone has d same opinion as u, then the person is “intelligent”, but when someone has a varying opinion, then the person is “un-intelligent”, but that’s not really the way life works. The fact that someone doesn’t believe in what u believe in,does not make them stupid or villainous.
That being said,I STILL don’t think having children with the man I love,is a concept I can ease into seamlessly(but,then again,I speak for MYSELF).And no, a difference in opinion is NOT “internalised homophobia”(oh, how I HATE that phrase and how it’s thrown around recklessly on ths blog!)
kendigin
March 17, 11:05Huh? What is this one saying???
chestnut
March 17, 11:56@kedigin: I don’t understand; wherein lies ur confusion? I thought the language of my comment was basic enough. Why don’t u tell me your actual confusion,so I can explain?
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 12:01Hush abeg. Max and Dennis are still recovering from the heartbreak you caused them. Me, I’m just of the opinion that the day you started saying things that makes Gad nod in approval is the day I should start wondering what this world us turning into. Lol
chestnut
March 17, 13:16Lol…Pinky, et tu? Max and Dennis and Peak et al sorry ooooo; y’all know I luh u guys to Ouagadougou and back right? But I can’t start saying what I don’t really feel just for the applause nau,right? Abi I should start expressing only popular views so that ppl will not be disappointed?
Teflondon
March 17, 11:20News flash people!!
“This too shall pass”
Nothing will happen to D&G and everyone will end up going back to thier holes…. #BrinkBackOurGirls anybody???
I don’t in any way support the comments being made by D&G esp about the kids.. But it’s still thier opinion and they have every right to view it.. Whether it’s for or against LGBT. Am very sure if they had made comments that LGBT community were cool with there would be no uproor among the str8 folks.
I still don’t understand “Our” (LGBT) need to always fight and protest what isn’t in our favor.. Can’t we just live and let live, can’t we just live a quiet and normal life without the need to be defensive at any given opportunity.
**checks time on my Dolce.Gabbana DG 7 wrist watch**
this people make good stuffs and I’ll never support that #BoycottDolce&Gabbana movement
Running down another mans business because his opinion doesn’t tally with yours??
Talk about double standard…
All in all its my opinion just as D&G viewed theirs **sips coffee**
s_sensei
March 17, 11:39This is both simple and complex. The simple part is that it was shallow for them to have referred to babies born via IVF as “chemical babies”. But there is another aspect to this. They also said they don’t believe in gay families and that’s “crime” number two. This second one is debatable. Mothers have a special bond with their children. That’s a fact that is observed even among animals and this is a result of biological wiring. It is believed that this special bond is the basis for a warm and secure relationship that makes for the normal development of the child. However, we know of single daddies who raised kids alone after mummy left or died and their kinds turned out just fine. In fact, we know of horrible mummies who neglect their kids and damage them for life.
Defining “nature” can be quite problematic when you are dealing with “homo sapiens”. We, as a species seem to have transcended nature. Every other specie on earth is closer to “nature” than we are. Just think about it: we hate our natural smells, alter our natural looks as much as we can, we live in houses that are “synthetic” from roof to foundation. If we had the power to change the weather or even stop the earth from rotating, we probably would. All this isn’t bad. This is what makes us the peak of evolution; the ability to manipulate nature. And we are a product of nature, no? Therefore, when we manipulate nature, it is nature manipulating itself. When you say something is unnatural, what do you mean? How can you define “nature” for a human being without asking us to revert to “homo habilis”?
We should just set people free to live their lives. What a child needs is love, security, discipline and warmth. If these are present, the child will develop normally. Love always finds a way. I personally don’t believe in gay marriages. But I am aware that I grew up in a world where the only marriages I have seen are straight ones. Therefore I have to at least admit the possibility of bias. Even at that, I am entitled to my opinion. And that is just what it is! An opinion, not universal truth! No one is infallible. Heck, I don’t even believe that much in straight marriages. Vows people take with no real intention of keeping them are just a waste. True dedication is spontaneous and needs no vow for its preservation.
So I think D and G are entitled to their opinion about gay parenting. But something bigger is going on here. Humanity is freeing itself from years of injustice and discrimination against homosexuals. This backlash is how the collective expands and absorbs fresh ideas. The agitation is an opportunity for a shake-up of the old. D and B are thus just sacrificial lambs whose “bloods” (God bless Mama Patience) will water a much needed change.
s_sensei
March 17, 11:43*mama peace. lol
Gad
March 17, 12:30This boycott will come to nought. A baker expressed his opinion on something that has nothing to do with bread or other allied products and you stopped eating bread. Absolute nonsense. D n G will never apologise and their brand will surely blossom. Pinky please keep an eye on the company till when it releases it’s end of year report. I bet you its profits must be better than last year’s. Shame on Elton John and co. I wont burn his albums but I won’t buy more.nansense. @ Pinky, it shouldn’t surprise you that chesty decided not to follow the crowd. All can’t be insane same time and always.
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 13:08Pinky this, Pinky that. I don’t buy D&G wears so I don’t care. Whether chestnut dissented from popular opinion or not is not my business. And kindly refrain from alluding that every other person who disagreed with him was insane.
Dennis Macaulay
March 17, 13:25Gad and chestnut are the only sane people on this blog, the rest of us are insane.
Coming from gad, this is very rich. I don’t see to need to say more
Gad
March 17, 18:30I hope there is not more to this because i dont see any thing in my comment to warrant that outburst from you. DM and his usual follow follow response is not worthy of my comment though. Pinky, by that outburst you deliberately implied that I called members of this blog insane and im sure you understood what i meant but chose to twist it. im not happy about this.i wouldn,t have minded a direct insult at my person in place of this.
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 19:24I’ve come to realize something about you, gad. Sometimes you have a thought in your head, but sometime between you thinking it and putting it down in a comment, you misplace the real meaning. Because in the end, what comment you do put down is interpreted exactly the way you wrote it. But apparently not the way you were thinking it.
Kindly step away from that unimpressive indignation, read your comment again and maybe, just maybe, you’ll see how I would say what I’d say in reaction to my understanding of it.
Teflondon
March 17, 14:45@Gad LMAO!!! @ all can’t be insane at the same time..
I love you already
pinkpanthertb
March 17, 16:25How shocking.