Daniel Radcliffe to film PSA, but fails in Tolerance Department

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**barlio**

Article wrote:Much like the valiant wizard robe-wearing, fantasy book hero he plays, "Harry Potter," Daniel Radcliffe is his own activist even in real life.

The 20-year-old British actor has just filmed a public service announcement (PSA) last February 26 in New York City for The Trevor Project, a non-profit, 24/7 help line that aims to provide counseling and prevent suicide among lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

And perhaps, if he would cast a spell that would eradicate the rising problem of homophobia, he might use “Crucio.” The young actor has been vocal about his stand against this for quite some time now.

“I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it,” Daniel said in an AP article.

The Trevor Project, which was founded in 1998 by filmmakers James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski, and Randy Stone, came to Daniel’s knowledge during his Broadway stint via “Equus” back in 2008. Their film “Trevor,” about a gay teen who attempted to commit suicide, snagged the “Best Short Film” trophy at the Academy Awards in 1994.

Daniel admitted that his first brush with homophobia came as a shock to him, for he grew up “knowing a lot of gay men,” since his parents were both actors.

"Some are gay, some are straight—didn't make any difference to me. When I went to my second school, I heard terms like 'puff' and 'homo' getting thrown around. It never occurred to me that some people might have a problem with it. I remember being quite shocked when I was young,” he recounted in an interview on MTV.

Translating his passion to the cause to something tangible, Daniel is acknowledged as one of the organization’s largest donors, who also includes Anne Hathaway, Neil Patrick Harris, Jodie Foster, Meredith Vieira, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

"I think it's important for somebody from a big, commercial movie series like 'Harry Potter' and particularly because I am not gay or bisexual or a transgender... The fact that I am straight makes not a difference, but it shows that straight people are incredibly interested and care a lot about this as well,” the film and stage actor related.

Growing up, he has "always felt very lucky to have the life that I've had. I never had to cope with anything serious about my religion or sexual orientation or anything like that.”

According to a Trevor Project press release, LGBTQ teens are four times more likely to commit suicide than the heterosexuals.

"I was talking to one of the [volunteers] who said, 'I hate the fact that this needs to exist.' But it's so important that it does,” said Daniel.

The PSA is set to air come spring season.

Linkage to follow:
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/245783/daniel-radcliffe-films-psa-against-homophobia

I'm all for PSAs and this is an issue that needs addressed, but let's think a little before we make bold statements Mr. Radcliffe. So would this make him kind of a Heterophobe? Does he fear himself then or is he openly accepting of himself? In other words, meh.

**filbert**

Don't really care to be honest. I'm not too fond of homophobia either but then again, I'm not gay and I don't know anyone who is, either professionally or personally, therefore intolerance of homosexuality is not an issue I come across regularly. And I do think there are perhaps more important issues that could be highlighted.

Incidentally, is Daniel Radcliffe gay or straight himself (assuming it is public knowledge)? The way the articles and quotes scan suggest to me they are from a gay man who perhaps hasn't announced it as such, at least that is what it reads like to me.

**J.Black**

Do you mean 'Haterophobe'? Someone who hates hate?

**barlio**

In a ham-fisted way I'm trying to point out that once again actors should just stick to acting. If we cared about whatever Hollywood says then we would work for TMZ.

**MeanGreenStompa**

barlio wrote:In a ham-fisted way I'm trying to point out that once again actors should just stick to acting. If we cared about whatever Hollywood says then we would work for TMZ.

Or perhaps, as a well known face and thereby having a large degree of influence on many young people, the lad is well suited to make a plea for people to be more tolerant.

His celebrity adds publicity to the message, after all, that's why you posted it on an online forum.

**Kilkrazy**

It makes him a homophobophobe.

Whilst the Christian tradition is to "hate the sin and love the sinner", not everyone in the world subscribes to that way of thinking.

I don't see why actors shouldn't be allowed to speak their own minds sometimes.

To be fair to young Mr Radcliffe, he is only about 21 and probably was using his own heartfelt if not brilliantly well-judged words when he made that comment.

**dogma**

barlio wrote:
I'm all for PSAs and this is an issue that needs addressed, but let's think a little before we make bold statements Mr. Radcliffe. So would this make him kind of a Heterophobe? Does he fear himself then or is he openly accepting of himself? In other words, meh.

Last I checked it wasn't a requirement for heterosexuals to be intolerant of homosexuals, which is the only thing being commented on by Radcliffe. Yeah, it falls into the cliche criticism of "You can't be intolerant of intolerance if you think tolerance is a virtue!", but that criticism is exceptionally weak, as are all attempts to force a broadly defined contradiction. There is no logically compelling reason that one individual must be tolerant of all possible human eccentricities.

**Fifty**

An old sig of mine in one or two places was "I will not tolerate intolerance."

I think that applies here. I actually feel he is very brave to make a statement like that.

**avantgarde**

~~Homophobephobia~~ FU KK

Also, I think Radcliffe is kind of smug.

**Kanluwen**

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
barlio wrote:In a ham-fisted way I'm trying to point out that once again actors should just stick to acting. If we cared about whatever Hollywood says then we would work for TMZ.

Or perhaps, as a well known face and thereby having a large degree of influence on many young people, the lad is well suited to make a plea for people to be more tolerant.

His celebrity adds publicity to the message, after all, that's why you posted it on an online forum.

Indeed. And I didn't see Radcliffe really saying anything about him being tolerant...

But either way, he makes a great point about the fact that some people are just completely intolerant of homosexuality without any reasons other than a learned hatred courtesy of parents/religion.

**avantgarde**

Some people are genetically predisposed to intolerance, you shouldn't blame them, they can't help it.

**Kanluwen**

Yeah, I love those arguments.

"I committed a hate crime because it's in my genetics!"

**Kilkrazy**

I expect some people probably are genetically pre-disposed to intolerance, since it is based on the cognitive process of categorisation followed by the social process of group formation.

It stands to reason that if other aspects of human intelligence are subject to some genetic variation, these cognitive processes may be too.

I don't know if any research has been done to that end.

However, since we are intellectually aware of these processes, they are susceptible to intelligent control by the individual.

What society really wants is people who will behave in a civilised way. We don't mind what you get up to inside your own head.

Except for paedophiles, of course.

**barlio**

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
barlio wrote:In a ham-fisted way I'm trying to point out that once again actors should just stick to acting. If we cared about whatever Hollywood says then we would work for TMZ.

Or perhaps, as a well known face and thereby having a large degree of influence on many young people, the lad is well suited to make a plea for people to be more tolerant.

His celebrity adds publicity to the message, after all, that's why you posted it on an online forum.

Point well made, I concede to thee.

Thinking about Kanluwen's and avantgarde's comments has made me think about my family and the issues that I've had to face growing up.

It is very difficult to overide the programming of your parents and culture. I spent the first third of my life on a farm. I did not go to school with anybody of color till I was maybe 11 or 12ish and I didn't meet any gay kids (that I know of) till High School. I live in SW Missouri where I believe the non-white population percentage is around 3%. Am I bitter, angry white who blames everything on minorities? No, but I've seen that my whole life in my family. Do I succumb to stereotypes at times? Yes. Unfortunately yes I do sometimes. If I hear of a minority that commits a crime I catch myself thinking, "boy what a surprise", but then I realized that (on average) this is only going to happen 3 times out of a hundred. The other 97% of crimes are committed by my fellow caucasions (sp).

I face the issue of ignorance on a weekly basis, but the only thing I can really do is impart the way that I feel onto my son. As long as I live my life around him with the view that we are all human and we are all equal then this will not be an issue that he will have to deal with as he grows up. If my dad talks that way around him then I will say something to him.

I wish Radcliffe the best for his PSA. The Trevor Project sounds like a good organization with noble intentions. It was poor taste on my part to mock him, before considering what the deeper issue at stake is.

kilkrazy wrote:Except for paedophiles, of course.

It is ok to make fun of pedophiles though...

**BluntmanDC**

barlio wrote:I'm all for PSAs and this is an issue that needs addressed, but let's think a little before we make bold statements Mr. Radcliffe. So would this make him kind of a Heterophobe? Does he fear himself then or is he openly accepting of himself? In other words, meh.

Radcliffe doesn't hate straight people, he hates

holes and whats wrong with celebrities having opinions. The idea that you need to be of a particular group to help the group is rediculous.

As the quote goes:
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

**Thorgut**

Good for him.
I don't see why he shouldn't be allowed to voice his opinion.

**generalgrog**

Is Harry Potter a Homo?

GG

**Da Boss**

Read the books, pretty clear he's heterosexual.

**Ahtman**

Da Boss wrote:Read the books, pretty clear he's heterosexual.

This is true, he and Ron were just 'testing their strength' with the other boys in Griffindorf.

**Da Boss**

I think if you find a text online, and it contains the words "throbbing wand" or "pulsating magic rod" more than once, you can assume it's not a book extract matey.

**Ahtman**

I think if you find a dictionary online, and it contains the words "joke" or "humor", you can assume it's worth finding out what those words mean.

**Orkeosaurus**

I hate people who hate Hate.

**Regwon**

filbert wrote:Don't really care to be honest. I'm not too fond of homophobia either but then again, I'm not gay and I don't know anyone who is, either professionally or personally, therefore intolerance of homosexuality is not an issue I come across regularly. And I do think there are perhaps more important issues that could be highlighted.

Incidentally, is Daniel Radcliffe gay or straight himself (assuming it is public knowledge)? The way the articles and quotes scan suggest to me they are from a gay man who perhaps hasn't announced it as such, at least that is what it reads like to me.

Oh delicious apathy. It doesn't affect me, therefore I do not care. Quick question though, since you are not gay and you dont know anyone that is (either professionally OR personally), how did you deduce that the article may have been written by a gay man that hasn't come out yet? Do you have some sort of internet and literary transending super-gay-sense?

Anyway,

Radcliffe is doing something that is actually constructive for an issue that he feels strongly about. Homophobia is still a big problem in what is supposed to be a liberal and accepting society and doing something positive to promote his cause makes me thing more of Radcliffe than just some child star who was lucky to be picked to play the lead role in some bad films about some poorly written books. Good for him.

**Da Boss**

Ahtman wrote:I think if you find a dictionary online, and it contains the words "joke" or "humor", you can assume it's worth finding out what those words mean.

I will if you look up dry humour!

**Necros**

All I know is, if he's 20 they better hurry up and finish those movies before he's next in line to play dumbledore

**chromedog**

If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's intolerance.

There's a great poster a gay friend of mine has on his wall.
A big boofy football playing he-man (also one of the few 'out' players) standing with his arms crossed and the line:

"Homophobia: What are you afraid of?"