Well, when it comes to men, yes, I believe he was a homophobic. Everything he did, he did for the ladies, if his concerts were only guys in the audience, there would have never been any concerts. Just recently on arsenio he talked about how when people touch his hair, or bump into him, and then cringed when he said "especially when its a dude". How many times in concert has a guy said I love you to Prince, and he would have a sarcastic remark like "uh, that voice is a little low" or many other things over the years. I have heard this many times in the live shows.

Once he became a Jehova's witness, he disgreed with the lifestyle all together for both men and women. Around the 2000 area, he had some harsh words for Wendy, telling her something to the effect of....when you change your lifestyle we can get together to play more music. This was from a recent interview I read from those two, they were hearbroken when he said this to them. Perhaps someone remembers this article and could post the actual comment.

So yes, at different periods of his life he was a homophobe and also dissaproved of gay relationships.

He was human and had his flaws like anyone else, and the decisions he made dictacted his own personal journey. I personally don't hold any of this against him, he is entitled to his views.

At the end of the day, everything he gave the world far outweighs any (perceived) shortcomings he may have had in regards to this topic.

Whether Prince was or wasn't a homophobe: what difference does it make to the well-being of gay people? He certainly didn't talk about having us all killed in his lyrics. The real tyrants are occupying the White House, the Kreml, the equivalent in Brazil and so forth.

BartVanHemelen said:

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

Dont make me get out my Larry G Meme again

now I wanna see it

ThatWhiteDude said:

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

Dont make me get out my Larry G Meme again

now I wanna see it

mbdtyler said:

mbdtyler said:

Thanks!

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

ThatWhiteDude said:

now I wanna see it

Yes, he was. I was recently reminded of this when I read a Prince expert breaking down Prince's 1990 crush on Lois Lane singer Monique Kleemann (who's gay) and how he kept bullying her after she rebuked his advances. There's a direct link to the song Bambi and this story.

AvocadosMax said:

No comment from Prince has suggested he disliked homosexual individuals or was prejudice against them.

LOL this entire post is filled with comments like that but I guess if you squint real hard, one can pretend they aren't there?

[Edited 7/4/19 11:50am]

ISaidLifeIsJustAGame said:

nonesuch said:

Whether Prince was or wasn't a homophobe: what difference does it make to the well-being of gay people? He certainly didn't talk about having us all killed in his lyrics. The real tyrants are occupying the White House, the Kreml, the equivalent in Brazil and so forth.

You don't have to be a viciously violent person to leave a negative impact. Prince's homophobia might seem innocuous to you, but think of the kind of shit that gay people have to put up with and hear on a daily basis. To hear one of your heroes spout that same bullshit probably hurts a lot, and Prince sure as hell wasn't making the world a better place in any way by saying it.

I submit his 1997 interview with Chris Rock for consideration. The one where they discuss Michael Jackson's "Bad". Prince says something to the effect of "the first line of the song is 'your butt is mine.' Now who's gonna be singing that to whom? Cause you ain't gonna sing that to me and I sure ain't gonna sing that to you."

mbdtyler said:

ItsOnlyMountains said:

AvocadosMax said:

ItsOnlyMountains said:

I submit his 1997 interview with Chris Rock for consideration. The one where they discuss Michael Jackson's "Bad". Prince says something to the effect of "the first line of the song is 'your butt is mine.' Now who's gonna be singing that to whom? Cause you ain't gonna sing that to me and I sure ain't gonna sing that to you."

What was wrong with that?

It always struck me as a little homephobic. His voice/tone and body language when he says it reads to me like he was vehemently against a guy singing to him about "your butt is mine" and he certainly didn't want to sing about getting another guy's ass. If you're a straight guy who is secure in yourself and/or your masculinity why make such a big deal of it? Especially when he could have made up any number of reasons why he didn't work with MJ.

ItsOnlyMountains said:

mbdtyler said:

nonesuch said:

Whether Prince was or wasn't a homophobe: what difference does it make to the well-being of gay people? He certainly didn't talk about having us all killed in his lyrics. The real tyrants are occupying the White House, the Kreml, the equivalent in Brazil and so forth.

You don't have to be a viciously violent person to leave a negative impact. Prince's homophobia might seem innocuous to you, but think of the kind of shit that gay people have to put up with and hear on a daily basis. To hear one of your heroes spout that same bullshit probably hurts a lot, and Prince sure as hell wasn't making the world a better place in any way by saying it.

his general attitude towards them doesn't bother me much, but how he treated his "friends" wendy and lisa I didn't like. I always wondered if a part of that was because of how frustrated he might have been that he didn't have the critical/commercial success he did when he had them. It seems personal to me. Those stories are some of the worst I've heard. Matt Fink had some bad ones too and Prince was taking shots on him even during the last concerts, wierd.

ItsOnlyMountains said:

AvocadosMax said:

ItsOnlyMountains said: What was wrong with that?

It always struck me as a little homephobic. His voice/tone and body language when he says it reads to me like he was vehemently against a guy singing to him about "your butt is mine" and he certainly didn't want to sing about getting another guy's ass. If you're a straight guy who is secure in yourself and/or your masculinity why make such a big deal of it? Especially when he could have made up any number of reasons why he didn't work with MJ.

Honestly he reminds me of one of my family members there. Whenever my sisters dog jumps up and accidently touches his genitals he says: "Get away from my dick, you f****t, or showing others videos of two guys giving each other handjobs "just to show you how disgusting it is". He's the only family member who often talks about how beautifuly David Beckham is, or Justin Timberlake. Matter of fact, he talks a whole lot about the looks of other dudes, but would judge other men if they did the same, or low and behold have a higher voice.

Another former friend of mine would also say that if another man would grab his hand, he's gay (considering what said friend did tho, he really isn't in the position to judge anyone). Seriously some dudes should get a fucking grip. Not every man is gay, and just because some hug you, or touch your hand, doesn't mean their gay. How insecure do you have to be to think that?

[Edited 7/4/19 13:31pm]

AvocadosMax said:

ItsOnlyMountains said:

It always struck me as a little homephobic. His voice/tone and body language when he says it reads to me like he was vehemently against a guy singing to him about "your butt is mine" and he certainly didn't want to sing about getting another guy's ass. If you're a straight guy who is secure in yourself and/or your masculinity why make such a big deal of it? Especially when he could have made up any number of reasons why he didn't work with MJ.

Dude it was just two straight guys joking with each other. Of course they’re making fun of the idea of Prince being gay by having another dude sing that to him. It wouldn’t make sense because Prince was straight. That’s why it was funny. Straight guys joke like that all the time

Yes, and that's problematic. Joking about that is homophobic and continuing the belief that homosexuality is something to be made fun of. I would be curious to know if gay men (or any LGBTQ person) would think that was a funny "joke."

Was Prince advocating that LGBTQ persons shouldn't have the same civil rights? Was he advocating violence against them? Not that I'm aware of, but even "jokes" or off-hand comments permeate society and make people think it's okay to make fun of those who don't conform to what is "normal".

It's one of Prince's many contradictions and hypocrisies because, as NouveauDance articulated upthread, Prince had no problem embracing his gender fluidity and queerness, but was pretty judgemental when it come to others expressing theirs.

ItsOnlyMountains said:

AvocadosMax said:

ItsOnlyMountains said: Dude it was just two straight guys joking with each other. Of course they’re making fun of the idea of Prince being gay by having another dude sing that to him. It wouldn’t make sense because Prince was straight. That’s why it was funny. Straight guys joke like that all the time

Yes, and that's problematic. Joking about that is homophobic and continuing the belief that homosexuality is something to be made fun of. I would be curious to know if gay men (or any LGBTQ person) would think that was a funny "joke."

Was Prince advocating that LGBTQ persons shouldn't have the same civil rights? Was he advocating violence against them? Not that I'm aware of, but even "jokes" or off-hand comments permeate society and make people think it's okay to make fun of those who don't conform to what is "normal".

It's one of Prince's many contradictions and hypocrisies because, as NouveauDance articulated upthread, Prince had no problem embracing his gender fluidity and queerness, but was pretty judgemental when it come to others expressing theirs.

someone should have just pulled his straight card on that shit, chris rock should have pulled out the buttfucking move from arsenio and said "well, what is this shit here?".

ItsOnlyMountains said:

PeteSilas said:

ItsOnlyMountains said:

Yes, and that's problematic. Joking about that is homophobic and continuing the belief that homosexuality is something to be made fun of. I would be curious to know if gay men (or any LGBTQ person) would think that was a funny "joke."

Was Prince advocating that LGBTQ persons shouldn't have the same civil rights? Was he advocating violence against them? Not that I'm aware of, but even "jokes" or off-hand comments permeate society and make people think it's okay to make fun of those who don't conform to what is "normal".

It's one of Prince's many contradictions and hypocrisies because, as NouveauDance articulated upthread, Prince had no problem embracing his gender fluidity and queerness, but was pretty judgemental when it come to others expressing theirs.

someone should have just pulled his straight card on that shit, chris rock should have pulled out the buttfucking move from arsenio and said "well, what is this shit here?".

Or the opening of Gett Off from the MTV awards. But that's different! Because it's Prince! And he is flawless.

AvocadosMax said:

ItsOnlyMountains said:

as NouveauDance articulated upthread, Prince had no problem embracing his gender fluidity and queerness

See even after his death people try to make Prince fit the picture of their own liking. Can’t let him be pure Prince Rogers Nelson. Prince was a straight male. Fans realize the ‘rude boy’ and risqué acts were just that. Acts.

You may want to read up on what gender fluidity and queerness mean in an academic context. I don't think anyone on this thread - certainly not me - is suggesting that Prince didn't identify as anything but a straight male. Queer doesn't automatically mean homosexual and gender is not the same as sexual orientation.


identifying edit

[Edited 7/4/19 14:51pm]

AvocadosMax said:

mbdtyler said:

You don't have to be a viciously violent person to leave a negative impact. Prince's homophobia might seem innocuous to you, but think of the kind of shit that gay people have to put up with and hear on a daily basis. To hear one of your heroes spout that same bullshit probably hurts a lot, and Prince sure as hell wasn't making the world a better place in any way by saying it.

You’re acting like Prince straight up bullied people 13 Reasons Why style just because of their sexual orientation. None of that happened. He was a boomer and religious, of course he had some things to say about certain lifestyles. Not that shocking. Doesn’t mean he hated you.

No, I'm not. The point of my reply was that there are varying levels of homophobia, and not all of them are as extreme as direct violence, but even jokes and general discomfort with homosexuality contribute to the kind of culture that can lead to violence over time. Obviously I never said "Prince is responsible for every homophobic hate crime!", but his attitude was one small part of the larger picture. All homophobia needs to be examined and changed into acceptance, and people continuously giving their favorite artists a pass for casual homophobia is part of why it hasn't happened yet.

^ Yes! That was what I was trying to get at with my reply about the Bad lyric being just a "joke."

nonesuch said:

Whether Prince was or wasn't a homophobe: what difference does it make to the well-being of gay people? He certainly didn't talk about having us all killed in his lyrics. The real tyrants are occupying the White House, the Kreml, the equivalent in Brazil and so forth.

[Off topic snip - luv4u]