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Stephen Gately


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To be honest, I probably find that article less offensive than the jokes people have written here. Most of them seem based around the unrelated and obvious facts that he was homosexual and that he is dead. How hilarious. That Daily Mail writer has done has tried to link these two, which is repugnant and pretty much what I'd expect from them, but at least she seems to find the event rather tragic.

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To be honest, I probably find that article less offensive than the jokes people have written here. Most of them seem based around the unrelated and obvious facts that he was homosexual and that he is dead. How hilarious. That Daily Mail writer has done has tried to link these two, which is repugnant and pretty much what I'd expect from them, but at least she seems to find the event rather tragic.

 

OOooooo...look at you!! :lol:

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And hang on a second. "Tragic"? She's only willing to see Gately's death as "tragic" if we're willing to accept that the coroner is wrong and the fact that he smoked a joint and he and his husband might have been having a threesome that night - neither of which straight couples ever do, naturally - is proof enough that he died in some sordid GAY BUMSECKS-related way (without being able to qualify what that might actually be, of course - the little-known Gay Shame Sofa Death Syndrome perhaps?). Oh, and as long as we're willing to admit that the death of someone who's in a civil partnership undermines the very concept of civil partnerships and exposes "the ooze of a very different and more dangerous lifestyle". Ooze that has EVIL AIDS JUICE in it, no doubt. Come on. :lol:

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To be honest, I probably find that article less offensive than the jokes people have written here. Most of them seem based around the unrelated and obvious facts that he was homosexual and that he is dead. How hilarious. That Daily Mail writer has done has tried to link these two, which is repugnant and pretty much what I'd expect from them, but at least she seems to find the event rather tragic.

 

OOooooo...look at you!! :lol:

 

 

:D

 

I'm not really having a go, I've laughed at bad taste jokes before. Perhaps as my housemate's girlfriend died suddenly recently I've lost my favour for them, particularly those concerning young people dying in sudden and unexplained circumstances. But I find it a bit strange how these jokes are accepted or laughed at but when some halfwit from the admittedly easy target of the Daily Mail churns out an insensitive and badly written piece you have the indignation displayed above, Twitter campaigns led by Stephen Fry mentioned on the news etc.

 

Edit: Didn't see your response Meenzer. I'm not defending her article for one minute, but it's the inconsistency of people's reactions, on here and in general, that bother me.

Edited by luckyluke
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Perhaps as my housemate's girlfriend died suddenly recently

Might I be so impertinent as to ask how she died? Was it because of her sordid and debaucherous lifestyle? And even if it wasn't, would you mind if I suggest that it was? :lol:

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And hang on a second. "Tragic"? She's only willing to see Gately's death as "tragic" if we're willing to accept that the coroner is wrong and the fact that he smoked a joint and he and his husband might have been having a threesome that night - neither of which straight couples ever do, naturally - is proof enough that he died in some sordid GAY BUMSECKS-related way (without being able to qualify what that might actually be, of course - the little-known Gay Shame Sofa Death Syndrome perhaps?). Oh, and as long as we're willing to admit that the death of someone who's in a civil partnership undermines the very concept of civil partnerships and exposes "the ooze of a very different and more dangerous lifestyle". Ooze that has EVIL AIDS JUICE in it, no doubt. Come on. :lol:

 

Basically she's left space for the imagination, everything straight sex doesn't have. :D :D

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its because these jokes are circulated through the people, they're a guilty pleasure you know you shouldnt laugh and if anyone was watching you wouldnt

 

but when a national newspaper comes out with shit like this you've got to wonder

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Perhaps as my housemate's girlfriend died suddenly recently

Might I be so impertinent as to ask how she died? Was it because of her sordid and debaucherous lifestyle? And even if it wasn't, would you mind if I suggest that it was? :lol:

 

 

PM was inconclusive, she had epilepsy and was found face down and stone cold by her mother one morning so the presumption is she had a fit and suffocated.

 

As to your second question, I would find such a suggestion a bit bizarre as she didn't live such a lifestyle - not that Gately did either. I realise that it's not as easy for you or others to brush away such suggestions given the way that lage parts of society STILL persistently implies that homosexuality is a sordid practice. I'm not just talking about the Daily Mail, which as I've said is an easy target, but many comedians, writers etc make jokes or implications about gay people that are widely accepted by most otherwise liberal minded people.

 

I've edited my post as I hadn't seen your reply. I'm not defending the article. It's the inconsistency of people's reactions that bothers me.

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Perhaps as my housemate's girlfriend died suddenly recently

Might I be so impertinent as to ask how she died? Was it because of her sordid and debaucherous lifestyle? And even if it wasn't, would you mind if I suggest that it was? :lol:

 

 

PM was inconclusive, she had epilepsy and was found face down and stone cold by her mother one morning so the presumption is she had a fit and suffocated.

 

As to your second question, I would find such a suggestion a bit bizarre as she didn't live such a lifestyle - not that Gately did either. I realise that it's not as easy for you or others to brush away such suggestions given the way that lage parts of society STILL persistently implies that homosexuality is a sordid practice. I'm not just talking about the Daily Mail, which as I've said is an easy target, but many comedians, writers etc make jokes or implications about gay people that are widely accepted by most otherwise liberal minded people.

 

I've edited my post as I hadn't seen your reply. I'm not defending the article. It's the inconsistency of people's reactions that bothers me.

Firstly, sorry to hear about the death of your mates girlfriend. Sudden death like that is a devastating experience. (I know from experience).

Quite clearly, having the above on your mind, your slot more sensitive than most in here to the jokes in this thread.

The thing is, they are a part of life, and life goes on.

When I lost my brother , I couldn't bear to watch the news in case another stabbing was reported. Took me a while, but I can now make cracks and jokes like the ones here.

People aren't sick or insensitive, they're just doing what everyone does.

The reaction to the article is IMO because of the implication that he died because he was gay, therefore living a depraved life.

 

Again, you and your mate really do have my sympathy at what is a very emotional time, but life does continue.

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I find it a bit strange how these jokes are accepted or laughed at.

Gallows humour has long been a coping mechanism in this emotionally repressed old country of ours.

 

You must occasionally use it yourself in your profession?

 

 

I'm well aware of that, which is why I didn't really comment on the jokes at first. You've oddly missed the remaining and crucial part of that sentance though.

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I honestly don't think finding the jokes amusing and finding the Mail article to be despicable at the same time is in any way hypocritical - I just consider both reactions to be sides of the same human coin.

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I love that line in bold. Fucking hell, what planet is she from?

 

Thing is, I think someone may have already suggested this, I know my view is hypocrytical, I am when it comes to this sort of thing. I chuckle at the odd black humour that can surround someones death. Yet, I am deeply offended at times when the subject is close to home or one I am passionate about. I will openly joke about homosexual's though I'm far from homophobic. Same as I'll openly joke about Black/Asian etc but I'm certainly not racist.

 

I always think the context of a comment needs to be considered, not just the words. However, I'm talking about passing comments in a pub or yes on a message board etc. When it comes to the printed press or other "professional" media I expect standards. Standards much higher than this. To me, these comments are homophobic, deeply offensive to the family and completely ignorant.

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She said: "I was suggesting that civil partnerships - the introduction of which I am on the record in supporting - have proved just to be as problematic as marriages."

 

 

 

Another real sadness about Gately's death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships.

 

Gay activists are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same-sex relationships, arguing that they are just the same as heterosexual marriages. Not everyone, they say, is like George Michael.

 

Of course, in many cases this may be true. Yet the recent death of Kevin McGee, the former husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and now the dubious events of Gately's last night raise troubling questions about what happened.

 

Way to contradict yourself there, Jan.

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I complained (basically because Charlie Brooker told me too), didn't get very far though:

 

Dear xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

Thank you for sending us your complaint about the Daily Mail article on the subject of the death of Stephen Gately. We have received numerous complaints about this matter.

I should first make clear that the Commission generally requires the involvement of directly affected parties before it can begin an investigation into an article. On this occasion, it may be a matter for the family of Mr Gately to raise a complaint about how his death has been treated by the Daily Mail. I can inform you that we have made ourselves available to the family and Mr Gately's bandmates, in order that they can use our services if they wish.

We require the direct involvement of affected parties because the PCC process can have a public outcome and it would be discourteous for the Commission to publish information relating to individuals without their knowledge or consent. Indeed, doing so might unwittingly add to any intrusion. Additionally, one of the PCC's roles is dispute resolution, and we would need contact with the affected party in order to determine what would be an acceptable means of settling a complaint.

On initial examination, it would appear that you are, therefore, a third party to the complaint, and wemay not be able to pursue your concerns further. However, if you feel that your complaint touches on claims that do not relate directly to Mr Gately or his family, please let us know, making clear how they raise a breach of the Code of Practice. If you feel that the Commission should waive its third party rules, please make clear why you believe this.

 

Press Complaints Commission

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