BB13’s Jeff Goes on Homophobic (and Anti-Wizarding) Rant – Has Another Celebrity Boyfriend Bitten the Dust?

So, America’s Favourite Houseguess 2009 Jeff Schroeder went on what can only be described as an ignorantly shocking homophobic rant on the live feeds the other day.  Which is sad in a lot of ways, not only because we enjoyed a satisfying but brief relationship for a few weeks in 2009 when he was my official Celebrity Boyfriend (clearly he wasn’t aware of this), but because, to this point, Jeff has always seemed like a really all round nice guy.

Perhaps the most shocking part is that the argument didn’t stem from anything fellow housemate Lawon (aka the single most awful gay on reality television year to date) did, but instead arose from a conversation with Kalia about the Harry Potter books and the sexuality of Hogwarts Headmaster (and all round bad ass) Dumbledore.

Here’s a transcript below :-

Jeff : Who’s Dumbledore?” That’d be perverted.  How was he made to be gay, though? He doesn’t have any gay tendencies. Besides, ‘Hey, Harry, let me feel your balls.’
Kalia : Maybe that’s just for people like you who think that stereotypes around gay people…
Jeff : What do you mean stereotypes around gay people? He’s in a school of little kids; you don’t want make that guy gay.
Kalia : Why?
Jeff : What do you mean, why?
Kalia : Gay men can’t work with little kids?
Jeff : I don’t think it’s the right thing to have a little kids’ book, and have the headmaster that you’re locked away in a magical land be gay. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do.  I can see your PC view, but I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.
(later)
Jeff : You know exactly what I’m saying; don’t make it seem like you’re doing the right thing by saying that it’s not. You’re going to let a story book, where they go to fantasy camp, and it’s all little kids without their parents and the guy is gay.
Kalia : Just because he’s gay doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with him
Jeff : Get the fuck out of here, don’t start with that fucking shit.  Don’t tell me the right answer for fucking TV, when you don’t think it’s the right answer.
Kalia : I’m not. You know why? Because my little sister’s gay.
Jeff : I don’t give a fuck if your little sister’s gay. Think about what it is.
Kalia : But I don’t understand. I truly don’t understand..
Jeff : You truly don’t understand? Well, I don’t understand either.

You can find both a recap and full clip of the debate HERE, but the most interesting part is how someone as affable and likable as Schroeder can be so shockingly ignorant.  And therein, I suppose, lies the beauty of shows like Big Brother.  Whilst the broadcast show will most likely edit out said arguement, the 24/7 live feeds still offer and unfiltered look into the actions of people that, whilst charismatic or entertaining, are for the most part not rocket scientists or in any way smarter or more developed than the average Joe.

Which raises the point then of whether Jeff’s blatant ignorance should make him immediately vilified by the gay community (and the enlightened human race in general) or whether he should be given the opportunity to be educated that gay people, for the most part, are absolutely no different to anyone else ?  At what point does an ignorant point of view stop being excusable and start making a person irredeemable for life?

As a card carrying Gay Man for Life, as much as I want to get my back up and deride Schroeder for being such an idiotic loser, I see comments like these as a sign of someone who has clearly been sheltered in life thus far from any real exposure to gay people and how boring and normal most of us are.  All through my life, most of my friends have been predominately straight (proportionate to the rest of the population at large, I guess) and thus have always felt a little like I should wear a sash and be Mr Gay 2011 (or whatever year it was).  I still remember my high school reunion and how fascinated everyone was by me being gay and having so many questions about how it affected everything from my schooling to family to life in general.  Like where I chose to stick my junk into on weekends was any more a defining character trait than where they liked to stick theirs.

Nawwww, Now imagine she was a dude, Dude..

In this era of hyper Political Correctness, it’s easy to get caught up in how offensive some prejudices are and forget that, more often than not, they are an opportunity to educate, not vilify.  Very few good people are 100% good and, alternately, very few bad people are 100% bad.  Taking one instance out of the context of a persons whole entire life can be an unfair representation to their overall value as a person.  Personally, I’m saving judgement of Jeff til I see how he reacts to this incident outside of the house and whether he welcomes the chance to learn more about gay people and how they really function in day to day life.