Columnist and gay rights activist Dan
Savage on Wednesday applauded cabler HGTV's decision to cancel an
upcoming reality show over the anti-gay activism of its stars, twin
brothers Jason and David Benham.
Flip It Forward, set to premiere
in October, featured the bothers as they helped families buy and sell
distressed properties for a profit.
David Benham compared opposition to
marriage equality to efforts to defeat Nazi Germany and stated that
gay men need to find God. The brothers also staged a prayer rally in
Charlotte in part to protest the city's acceptance of marriage
equality.
(Related: HGTV
reverses course on show featuring anti-gay brothers David, Jason
Benham.)
In a The Stranger blog post, Savage
wrote that the “real story” behind the firing is “that we are
rapidly approaching the tipping point that I've been talking and
writing about for years.”
“Once upon a time white people used
to be able to go on TV and say the most racist shit imaginable (argue
against legal interracial marriage, argue in favor of segregation)
and keep their jobs and be invited back on TV to say that shit a
second time,” Savage
said. “Then one day you couldn't say that shit (not on TV, at
least) and keep your job and be invited back to say that shit again.
Opinions that used to be considered 'respectable' were suddenly toxic
career enders. We are rapidly reaching the same tipping point on
LGBT issues. You can believe whatever you want, but you have to be
careful when and how you express your anti-gay animus. Because it
could cost you.”
“And David and Jason Benham just
learned,” he added.