'The Joy Behar Show' host is slammed online after urging the community members to use this holiday to reveal their truths to their families without knowing 'the consequences.'
- Nov 26, 2021
AceShowbiz - Joy Behar has landed in hot water. "The View" co-host has been facing backlash online after she suggested LGBTQ people should "come out" to their families this Thanksgiving during the talk show.
In the Wednesday, November 24 episode of "The View", the 79-year-old TV hostess discussed the topic with Whoopi Goldberg. "I'd like to suggest everybody out there, come out to your family this Thanksgiving," she said. "Just come out!"
"See what happens!" Joy added. In response, a confused Whoopi went on to ask, "I'm sorry, I'm just curious. Come out...the door? Come out...what do you mean?" Joy then replied, "Come out gay. If you're gay, come out."
Sara Haines, who appeared even more confused, just said, "I can't follow this conversation." Joy, who has advocated for LGBTQ rights in the past and received a GLAAD award in 2010 for her "fair and accurate" coverage of the community on "The Joy Behar Show", said she wanted people to be their genuine selves and not hide.
"Be yourself. You know what? I'm old enough now to know that life is short, because it went by like that," Joy elaborated. She added, "It's not over yet, so that's why I can still keep yakking. I say that you should be yourself. This is my philosophy in life. I'm here 25 years, I'm always the same, annoying as I am."
Whoopi then joked, "You're only 25?" In response, Joy stressed, "My whole thing is you come out and be yourself." She went on to conclude, "Don't let anybody tell you who you have to be in this life."
However, many people criticized Joy for telling them what they should do without knowing the consequences of coming out to their family. "@JoyVBehar please don't be pressuring people to come out of the closet if they're not ready," one Twitter user wrote.
Meanwhile, another person noted that it's "incredibly dangerous" to push LGBTQ individuals to come out before they're ready. "Many of our fellow community members face real threats to their lives if they come out to family," so read the tweet. "If you haven't been in this situation, don't give us advice."
Another viewer urged LGBTQ members who haven't come out yet to ignore Joy's recommendation. "LGBTees pls do not listen to Joy Behar and come out to your families today if you're not ready or don't feel safe to do so," the critic stressed.
A separate critic slammed the comedian and TV personality for her thoughtless statement as saying, "@JoyVBehar you, an older, wealthy, entitled, white woman, want ppl to come out today 'just because'?" The said person added, "It shows how out of touch you are. Really."
"@JoyVBehar hey Joy I have a transgender son and am so proud of him however most parents are not like me some will resort to violence just because their child is [LGBTQ]," another person reminded Joy that LGBTQ youth may experience harmful consequences for sharing their truth with relatives. "So please don't tell people to come out just to see what happens that can be disastrous."
