Matt Damon – ran stupid or homophobic?

Travon Free put it aptly in a comment on Twitter: “Well, Matt Damon just found out ‘months ago’ and thanks to a child’s ‘treatise’ that he shouldn’t use the F-word,” writes the openly bisexual Comedian, actor, director and Oscar winner. It is the culmination of a discussion about overtly homophobic statements by Oscar-winning actor Matt Damon. He seems to be only slowly becoming aware of the scope of his statements.

In an interview with the UK Sunday Times, Damon admitted that until recently he had used a homophobic slur. He made a joke at a dinner party that included the F-word. It was only his daughter who drew his attention to it and made him think. You wrote a “very long, wonderful treatise on why the word is dangerous,” said Damon. He no longer uses the F-word that begins with S in German.

Matt Damon receives violent opposition

The interview, which was supposed to be about the promotion of his new film “Stillwater”, caused a sensation. Especially in the LGBTIQ + community. Many asked themselves in what kind of a dinner speech the F-word can be an appropriate expression. Worse still, why Damon needs his daughter to realize the word is a deeply homophobic insult. It is unclear which of the four daughters, aged ten to 23, it was. Either way, it doesn’t throw a good light on 50-year-old Damon.

Damon is heavily criticized on Twitter for his statements. So far, he has not done anything better with his attempts at relativization. In the interview he claimed that the F-word had a different meaning in his youth. But that’s not true. It’s always been a homophobic insult, only that back then maybe not that many people thought about it. His apology also generates more inquiries than clarification.

Damon apologizes

Damon suddenly claims in a statement that he never used the F-word. “I’ve never used the F-word to refer to anyone in my private life and this conversation with my daughter was not a personal awakening. I don’t use swear words of any kind,” he quotes. This is the opposite of what he said in his interview.

Then Damon tries to limit the damage. As long as open hostility towards the LGBTQ + community is still the order of the day, he understands why his statements have led many people to assume the worst. “To be as clear as possible: I’m on the side of the LGBTQ + community.”

In doing so, he seems to have succeeded in smoothing things over. Was it stupid or homophobic? Many commentators at least believe Damon regrets the unsuccessful remarks and take it with humor: Damon simply did not pay attention to his fellow actor and best friend Ben Affleck – who is currently making headlines with his newly flared relationship with Jennifer Lopez.