Barry Humphries (better known as Dame Edna) is usually good at being an Aussie icon, but has done a pretty disappointing job today, in all honesty.
The performer, who has made an impressive living as a drag queen/female impersonator, made some pretty gross transphobic comments about Caitlyn Jenner in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
When asked about his relationship with Germaine Greer (who has recently come under fire and been rejected from public speaking roles due to horrendous transphobia), he said this:
“I agree with Germaine! You’re a mutilated man, that’s all.”“Self-mutilation, what’s all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner – what a publicity-seeking ratbag. It’s all given the stamp – not of respectability, but authenticity or something. If you criticise anything you’re racist or sexist or homophobic.”
Surprise fucking surprise – he’s not super impressed with political correctness either. Because apparently making people comfortable with slight changes to language is life-ruining for him:
“It’s this new puritanism, isn’t it? It was a disgraceful persecution.”“I don’t know anything about politics. But the far Left is so conservative, paradoxically, inflexible, doctrinaire and humourless. You can’t describe the world as it is any more. You get jumped on.”
Most can appreciate that ‘jumped on’ = people merely trying to educate you that you’re kinda being a rude jerk. But no matter, just hide behind your alter-egos!
Humphries admitted that he uses both Les and Edna as a bulletproof vest; that they can say whatever they please, and he can then turn around and say it wasn’t him:
‘”Yes, it’s wonderful!” he beams. “Les can say what he likes. I can say: ‘I disapprove of what Edna said the other night.’” In an age of ever-increasing political correctness, he says, he needs to hide behind his creations.’
Well, not this time Humphries; you said this big pile of shit yourself. We’re super sorry this big scary PC world is too much for you, but we’re just moving with the times on the right side of history: the side that accepts and includes all people. Not just the ones you deem to be ‘normal’.
Source: The Daily Telegraph.
Image: Hannah Mason / Getty.
