Tag Archives: Gay families

Dolce & Gabbana Condemns Unenlightened ‘Ignorance’ of Elton John After #BoycottDolceGabbana Campaign

Last week fashion icons Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (aka Dolce & Gabbana) – who are gay themselves – made comments on their opposition to same-sex couples having children.

The designers, whose recent Milan Fashion Week show was a celebration of motherhood and featured models and their babies on the catwalk, said:

We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one…. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed.”

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Out singer-songwriter Elton John, who has sons Zachary and Elijah with his husband David Furnish, has since hit back at the pair.

How dare you refer to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic’. And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.

Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana”

Sir Elton John

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Celebrities gay and straight were only too happy to offer their support for Elton John’s boycott, and to share in decrying Dolce & Gabbana comments attacking LGBT families.

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Now Gabbana has spoken in more detail about the scandal to Corriere Della Sera, labelling Elton John’s call for his fans to boycott the Dolce & Gabbana brand “unenlightened” and “ignorant”.

Speaking to Matteo Persivale, Gabbana argues that Dolce’s comments were taken out of context.

They’re just putting words into our mouths, now. They’re saying we are against gay parenting. It’s not true. Domenico only expressed his opinion about the traditional family and about In Vitro Fertilisation. If someone else wants to make different choices, fine, they are free to do it. We demand the same respect.”

Asked about how he felt after reading Elton John’s comments on Instagram and his hashtag #BoycottDolceGabbana, Gabbana describes his shock.

I didn’t expect this, coming from someone whom I considered, and I stress “considered”, an intelligent person like Elton John. I mean, you preach understanding, tolerance and then you attack others? Only because someone has a different opinion? Is this a democratic or enlightened way of thinking? This is ignorance, because he ignores the fact that others might have a different opinion and that theirs is as worthy of respect as his.”

In response to Elton’s petition for his followers to #BoycottDoceGabbana, Gabbana retorted by posting the word #Fascist! on Elton’s wall before calling on their followers to #BoycottEltonJohn.

Come on, I was annoyed for a moment. It would be ridiculous. Either you like somebody’s songs or you don’t. When you go to the greengrocer’s, you don’t make sure that he agrees with your views on IVF. You just want to know if he has fresh products…

We are not boycotting and we will not boycott anyone. We are about freedom. Anyone can make the choices they want. Domenico has his ideas, he made some choices. Elton John made different choices. Different choices, different lives. Equal respect.”

While the two D&G designers have been collectively criticised for the comments, Gabbana told Panorama he was open to becoming a father and has since said the suggestion he is against gay adoption is wrong. “A question is followed by an answer. Respect comes from accepting different views!” Gabbana wrote on Instagram.