Kobe Bryant Fined $100K For Homophobic Slur
Posted on Wed Apr 13th, 2011 3:35pm PDT By X17 Staff
The NBA has fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for a homophobic slur he made during last night's game against the San Antonio Spurs.After the NBA issued the fine, The Human Rights Campaign released the following statement:
- “We applaud Commissioner Stern and the NBA for not only fining Bryant but for recognizing that slurs and derogatory comments have no place on the basketball court or in society at large. We hope such swift and decisive action will send a strong and universal message that this kind of hateful outburst is simply inexcusable no matter what the context.â€Â
After receiving a technical foul during the game, Bryant seemed to be directing the slur "f**ing f**got" towards referee Bennie Adams.
Bryant had issued the following after receiving a complaint from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation:
- “What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.â€Â
Read what GLAAD had initially written to Kobe ... after the jump.
- “Discriminatory slurs have no place on or off the court. Professional sports players need to set a better example for young people who use words like this on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. The LA Lakers have a responsibility to educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable.â€Â
What are your thoughts?
