Phil Robertson advocates marrying 15-year-old girls

I don’t watch Duck Travesty because I prefer my trash in a garbage can, but reality-TV star Phil Robertson’s homophobia and racism in an interview with GQ magazine was hard to ignore.

Harder still was the reaction of the viewing public when A&E suspended Robertson from Duck Dynasty over his comments. Hate speech was confused with free speech, there were petitions to have Robertson put back on the air, the network received death threats, the rest of the cast of Duck Dynasty refused to film without him, and the Palins got involved . . .

Unfortunately, A&E gave in to pressure and ended Robertson’s suspension because apparently he represents the last three brain cells the American public has left and they need him on television, as this 2009 video of him at the Sportsmen Ministry in Georgia promoting men marrying 15-year-old girls proves:

“Look, you wait ‘til they get to be 20 years old and the only picking that’s going to take place is your pocket,” Robertson said. “You got to marry these girls when they’re about 15 or 16 and they’ll pick your ducks.”

Keep Reading

The new generation of gay Conservative sellouts

OPINION: Melissa Lantsman’s and Eric Duncan’s refusals to call out their party’s transphobia is a betrayal of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Over 300 anti-LGBTQ2S+ bills have been introduced this year. This doesn’t mean we should panic

OPINION: While it’s important to watch out for threats, not all threats are created equally. Some of these bills will die a natural death

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

Elon Musk and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton are suing Media Matters. Here’s why queer and trans people should care

OPINION: When politicians and the rich leverage the power of the state to quell dissent, we all lose