Gay Times editor Rivers 'appalled' by his own comments

[Deleted]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42012079

Josh Rivers, sacked from his new role as editor at the Gay Times over offensive tweets published in the past, has said he is "appalled" by his posts.

The tweets, some of which have now been deleted, have been described as racist, transphobic, homophobic and anti-Semitic.

Mr Rivers, who has already apologised, also made remarks about obese people and children with disabilities.

He told Radio 4's PM programme: "I was appalled... I said, 'Who wrote that?'"

"I was stunned, I was confused. I spent most of my 20s in a daze, in a blur. I was not sober as much as I probably could have been.

The 31-year-old added: "I was lost, I was angry. I was upset, I was lonely. And I think those tweets are a reflection of someone lashing out at the world around him.

"They were cries for help."

Mr Rivers said: "My past is mine to reckon with... I have to look in the mirror (every day), I have to get myself to a place where I'm fit to serve the community."

He said he had "no recollection" of writing the tweets, saying he had drunk heavily in his 20s.

Mr Rivers added that he had been seeing a therapist since 2014 "to unpick the loneliness and sense of abandonment... I've taken who I was and I've turned it into who I want to be".

The Gay Times magazine wrote on Twitter that it had removed all articles written by Mr Rivers from its website.

'Inappropriate and unacceptable'

Gay Times said: "Gay Times do not tolerate such views and will continue to strive to promote inclusivity.

"We sincerely apologise for the offence that has been caused, particularly to those members of our wider community to whom such inappropriate and unacceptable commentary was the focus."

The publication added it is relaunching on 30 November with "what is quite possibly the most significant overhaul in its 33-year history".

It will feature submissions and significant contributions from "the far reaches of our wonderful and diverse LGBTQ community".

Gay Times has been praised by its readers for making the decision to end Rivers' position at the magazine and have been responding to their statement on Twitter.

Craig Evry wrote, "Well done on taking swift, decisive action. A well thought-out and sincere statement."

Alan Palmer added, "Strong, positive reaction. Too often, organisations try to ride out the storm and do nothing so as not to risk themselves. Well done."

Holly Amory also tweeted, saying, "Thank you! It bodes well that you're taking this so seriously."

Rivers was appointed editor in October. In a statement released before his removal from the post, he said: "I have long taken steps to address the issues that prevented me from treating people with the respect and kindness I value so dearly now.

"It is because of my past and my own awakening that I've since pivoted everything in my life towards supporting and empowering our community."

He expressed sadness that "the damage I caused before has now resurfaced to cause more pain".

Benjamin Cohen, chief executive of LGBT news organisation PinkNews, told the BBC: "I am frankly appalled at the litany of offensive Twitter posts that Josh Rivers made over a number of years.

"It is beyond surprising that the level of inappropriate and hurtful comments were not uncovered by Gay Times during the recruitment process for the appointment of the key role of editor.

"As someone who for many years wrote a column for Gay Times, I'm saddened that what was a great institution has had its brand so recklessly damaged by someone who was in office for just a few weeks."

His excuse was weak and pathetic

[bladeXcrasher]

Guess they didn't care enough to check before hand.

[Mistame]

And we continue on this train of judging the past by the standards of the present.

[Chinese Bootlickers]

"That wasn't me" is one of the worst excuses you could ever use.

[IIamaKing]

And we continue on this train of judging the past by the standards of the present.

He is 31, his 20s were not some age ago it was 2 years ago.

[Kathandira]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42012079



His excuse was weak and pathetic

So glad the internet wasn't really a thing until I was in my 20's.

[Independent voter]

"They were cries for help."


I got to remember that one when I appeal my next infraction.

[Mistame]

He is 31, his 20s were not some age ago it was 2 years ago.

Doesn't detract from my point, though. If something's not a big deal now and later it becomes a big deal, it doesn't make it a big deal. It's only as big a deal as it was at the time it happened.

[Grapemask]

If he were talking about something 15, 20 years ago, his excuse might be pretty valid. But I mean... we're talking stuff just a handful of years ago. He's apologizing for tweets. Unless he had a lobotomy, there is no way he is not mostly still that person in such a short span of time.

[IIamaKing]

Doesn't detract from my point, though. If something's not a big deal now and later it becomes a big deal, it doesn't make it a big deal. It's only as big a deal as it was at the time it happened.

I assume w/e hateful comments he made would have been a big deal to the "Gay Times" had they known at the time of his hiring, they simply didnt know. Its not that it wasnt a big deal when he made it, its that no one saw em.

[McFuu]

He is 31, his 20s were not some age ago it was 2 years ago.

No, he is 31, his 20s were as much as 11 years ago. He could of went off the deep end when he was 20, turned himself around and gotten an MBA and this position.

So we judge 20 year olds for what they did when they were 10?

[Mormolyce]

"They were cries for help."


I got to remember that one when I appeal my next infraction.

To be fair a lot of trolls really are crying for help.

Look at Trump, the man is basically a walking suicide note.

[Deleted]

So what were the quotes?

[Deleted]

And we continue on this train of judging the past by the standards of the present.

Sorry but his comments were less than 5 years ago

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His answer is actually psychologically plausible. Internalized homophobia, self-hate, etc, and drug addiction with depression can explain his actions.

I don’t know if he is lying, but people can and do grow out of stuff like that, especially with proper mental health care.

TBF this is too common but I still find his excuse BS.... A lot of gay guys went through exactly what he did and didn't become bigots

[Doctor Amadeus]

His answer is actually psychologically plausible. Internalized homophobia, self-hate, etc, and drug addiction with depression can explain his actions.

I don’t know if he is lying, but people can and do grow out of stuff like that, especially with proper mental health care.

Yes, this very much this, it IS a thing, a person can engage in just as much self identity hate as anybody else.

As for the rest I don't know how important it is for him to be sorry if he doesn't appreciate what he did, otherwise any thing he says he is feeling isn't real even if he forces himself to believe it.

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To be fair a lot of trolls really are crying for help.

Look at Trump, the man is basically a walking suicide note.

No, I think you are maybe really crying to fix them. Trolls aren't crying for help, they are crying for attention which is exactly what they get, they don't actually care about any issue, and the very last thing a troll will ever do is admit to being one.

Some people are just simply stupid, where by they know better they simply choose to behave and act contrary to what they know, YOU can't fix that shit. There is a real reason why meme's and commons phrases such as "What are you talking about" are real epidemics, even though despite whatever language differs or sentence structures.

People for sure know what each other are talking about, but whether it is a troll or someone genuinely stupid, they don't fucking care. As long as anybody else that engages with that shit doesn't get the memo, both will always have the effect they do.

[Trollhammer]

CTRL F " T R U M P" Everytime..


Lol this guys has some pityful excuses.

[Super Kami Dende]

I love how they keep really pointing out he is Gay, as if it's like "oh wow, he actually did that, I didn't know Gay people could be Assholes!?"

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To be fair a lot of trolls really are crying for help.

Look at Trump, the man is basically a walking suicide note.

Yeah, I'm sure the guy who is both President and a Billionaire is crying for help.

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His answer is actually psychologically plausible. Internalized homophobia, self-hate, etc, and drug addiction with depression can explain his actions.

ahahahahhahahahahahhahahahah. Good lord.

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And we continue on this train of judging the past by the standards of the present.

Leopards don't change their spots, no matter how much dick goes through them.

[Spectral]

The 31-year-old added: "I was lost, I was angry. I was upset, I was lonely. And I think those tweets are a reflection of someone lashing out at the world around him.

"They were cries for help."

Mr Rivers said: "My past is mine to reckon with... I have to look in the mirror (every day), I have to get myself to a place where I'm fit to serve the community."

That's one hell of a struggle session.

[Elba]

"That wasn't me" is one of the worst excuses you could ever use.

[Swalload]

In this entire thing they never show us what he said? What's the fucking point then?