Damon Wayans Jr. Actually Apologizes for Transphobic and Homophobic Tweets from His Past

Due to his past anti-LGBTQIA+ tweets getting attention, I like how Damon Wayans, Jr., stepped up and apologized for what he said. To me, it comes across as sincere and I hope other celebrities learn from him.

Celebrity apologies aren’t the most graceful things to watch. Many are unable to realize why an apology is required, while others share apologies which reek of insincerity. That is why reading Damon Wayans, Jr.’s apology for transphobic and homophobic tweets from his past felt like a step in the right direction when it comes to understanding why realizing when and how to apologize is required for personal growth.

Along with Wayans, Jr.’s apology coming across as sincere, you can tell he has grown a lot over the years. The actor and comedian is serving as the executive producer of a new CW show which centers on a gender nonconforming character. If picked up by the network, the upcoming show, titled Glamorous, will make TV history.

The tweets in question, dating back to 2010, recently resurfaced and received backlash. They were later deleted. I won’t be sharing them here because they are very offensive.

Wayans, Jr., issued an apology to let everyone know where he stands when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community and what he thinks of his past behavior.

He shared:

“When I was a young comic trying to find my voice, I made some immature and hurtful tweets that I deeply regret at the expense of the LGBTQ community. When I tweeted those comments, almost 10 years ago, I was unaware of the emotional impact they could have.

I am not excusing that behavior but that is not who I am today. Society evolved and so have I and it is something I will continue to do both personally and professionally. Continued learning, acceptance and thoughtful words are all important actions that will help make society a kinder and safer place for all people. You know better, you do better.

I am very proud of the work we are doing at Two Shakes entertainment. The company was founded with the mission of working with diverse voices, both in front and behind the camera. When GLAMOROUS was pitched to us I thought it was brilliant, heartwarming and important. We will continue to be committed to pursuing protagonists who don’t traditionally get to be at the center of a show and bringing their stories to the screen.”

As for Glamorous, the show is about a gender nonconforming high school graduate who gets an internship at a cosmetics company whose products they panned on YouTube. It is being written by Jordon Nardino (Star Trek: Discovery, Quantico, Desperate Housewives). It will be interesting to see if the show will cast a gender nonconforming individual for the role.

Wayans, Jr.’s apology is a sharp contrast from the temper tantrum Kevin Hart threw when he was called out on his anti-queer tweets. Hart also faced some backlash when he showed support for Jussie Smollett.

Here’s hoping other celebrities learn from the way Wayans, Jr., handled the situation. Not only did he apologize, but through his work on Glamorous, he is displaying how much he has changed for the better.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

(via Out)

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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