Rupert Everett Slams Gay Parents; GLAAD Fires Back

Shakespeare in Love star is not in love with gay parenting

By Josh Grossberg Sep 17, 2012 7:22 PMTags
Rupert EverettJim Spellman/WireImage.com

Rupert Everett's contrarian views aren't sitting well with the gay community.

The openly gay actor opened up to the UK's Sunday Times about how his mother felt meeting his boyfriend, recalling her lament that she "still wishes I had a wife and kids."

But the English actor raised the ire of some advocacy groups when he offered up his opinion on gay parenting.

"[Mom] thinks children need a father and a mother and I agree with her," the Next Best Thing star added. "I can't think of anything worse than being brought up by two gay dads. Some people might not agree with that. Fine! That's just my opinion."

And just to make it clear where he's coming from, Rupert added: "I'm not speaking on behalf of the gay community. In fact, I don't feel like I'm part of any ‘community.' The only community I belong to is humanity and we've got too many children on the planet, so it's good not to have more."

Everett's comments on parenting earned harsh criticism from GLAAD, which described his views on the subject as archaic.

"Since Everett shared his outdated opinion, gay parents, as well as their friends and families, have voiced overwhelming disappointment," the gay rights organization said in a statement. "Children aren't hurt when raised by caring gay parents, but they are when uniformed people in the public eye insult their families."

Ben Summerskill, the head of the U.K.-based LGBT lobbying group Stonewall, issued a response to the U.K.'s Telegraph, saying, "Rupert should get out a little bit more to see the facts for himself."

"There is absolutely no evidence that the kids of gay parents suffer in the way they are being brought up or in how they develop," he added.

A rep for the 53-year-old thesp was unavailable for comment.

Everett's no stranger to stirring controversy. Case in point: in 2010 he made headlines after blasting Jennifer Aniston for making what he considered were  "tasteless" romantic comedies. As well, he said in a 2009 interview with the British paper The Guardian that he would not advise other actors to come out.