Culture Club frontman and gay icon Boy George feels straight artists receive more exposure and have a greater impact supporting gay rights than artists who are gay, saying he wondered if Macklemore‘s hit Same Love would’ve had the same impact if the rapper was himself gay.
“If it had been a gay rapper that had done Same Love I think it probably wouldn’t have had the same impact,” said George. “It’s a weird thing about our culture. I think Same Love is a great record, I don’t care if he’s straight or gay, it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter, but unfortunately it does.”
“If you’re gay doing that song people think you’re preaching. No, it’s my life. It’s the same as a guy speaking about his girlfriend. For some reason when you’re gay people think you only talk about being gay. I don’t, actually. My sexuality takes up about three hours a month,” he told News Limited.
George also mused on the famously pro-gay Lady Gaga, saying, “Born This Way? You’re a straight woman. But whatever. You’ve got to like her for liking us. That’s nothing to condemn someone for. She’s pro-gay, she loves her gay brothers and sisters and I’m sure she employs a lot of queens…”
George’s comments are similar to sentiments expressed by rapper Le1f last year, when he hit out at Macklemore, saying, “gay people don’t care about your video about gay people.” The New York rapper took exception to a straight man making money off a song that wasn’t about his own struggle.
Watch: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Mary Lambert – Same Love
