Image via Wikipedia

Accusing the gay icon Danii Minogue of homophobia is a little like accusing Joanna Lumley of being anti-Gurkha. The Twitter backlash against her reveals the prejudice of the viewers – not the X Factor judge.

On last night’s X Factor, Dannii made a reference to reports in the press of the bisexuality of one of the contestants, Danyl Johnson. This was a reference to an interview he himself gave to the News of the World some weeks ago.  It was meant as a light-hearted contribution to the discussion around why Danyl was given a ‘girl’s song’ – and therefore the lyrics had to be changed – by suggesting there was “no need to change the gender references in the lyrics if we’re to believe everything we read in the press.”

Perhaps an awkward TV moment, maybe an ill-judged joke, possibly better left unsaid – if only because Danyl seemed uncomfortable with the comment (or was he simply upset at the other judges’ remarks? Seems more likely in retrospect – though at the time it just added to the confusion). But it was certainly not malicious, homophobic, offensive, defamatory, slanderous, bitchy or a slur – as the Twitter backlash has overwhelmingly described it. Certainly not as offensive as describing two of the Miss Frank girls as “bookends” and forgetting their names, Simon.

In fact, it was a very pro-gay comment. Why should he necessarily have to straighten up the lyrics?

The idea that it is offensive to suggest that someone is gay IS the thing that is offensive.  ‘Accusing’ someone of being gay or bisexual is not defamatory because being gay or bisexual is not a bad thing.

My first reaction was that she was shamelessly courting the gay vote, by revealing his sexuality to the nation (at least to those of us who don’t read the tabloids and were therefore unaware). Then I remembered he isn’t one of her acts – so was confused as to why she was helping him. Most of the rest of the Twitterverse, however, didn’t see it as a positive comment, and were busy launching a ’sack Dannii’ campaign and circulating the number for the Ofcom complaint line.

Now, we’ve all had a drink, and we all like a social media backlash; but let’s try and confine our online outrage to things that are worthy of it, hmm?

Dannii may have ‘done a Matthew Parris‘ in that she ‘outed’ someone on live TV whose sexuality was no secret anyway (Parris did that to Peter Mandelson on Newsnight in 1998).  But she certainly did not ‘do a Du Beke’, as many suggested. I didn’t see this, but I gather judge Anton Du Beke called someone a “Paki” on rival reality TV  show Strictly Come Dancing last week. That is clearly never acceptable. The equivalent in this case would have been for Dannii to have said “poof”, “faggot” or “queer”. There is no comparison.

Dannii herself insisted on Twitter that Danyl is fine and got the joke. Danyl tweeted that she meant no harm and they’re ‘all smiles’. Dannii issued an official apology via her blog, and on tonight’s live results show.

In the 21st Century, the idea that some people – including some pop stars – are gay, shouldn’t raise an eyebrow, let alone a backlash. ‘Outing’ them shouldn’t create a media furore. I object to the discourse of ‘coming out’ anyway, based as it is in an outdated assumption that one’s sexuality is something that should remain hidden (unless you’re heterosexual) or that we should pre-suppose that everyone is straight.

Today we heard the tragic news of the death of Stephen Gately. He was one of the first pop stars to ‘come out’ before he was ‘outed’ by the press in 1999. Will Young, Cheryl’s judges-houses judging partner and fellow TV talent show winner, told the world he is gay the day after he won the first Pop Idol in 2002. Both of these revelations caused some controversy at the time – but we quickly got over it.

Ten years on, Dannii has helped move the agenda on with her assumption that it is OK to reference these things not just when your pop career is well established and it won’t affect sales (would it?), not once you have won a talent show and it won’t scare off the vote (would it?), but on Day One of the live shows. She has long been a supporter of gay rights, and this latest unintentional contribution to the cause was brought about by nothing more than her lack of prejudice. It sadly conflicts with the prejudice of many viewers who still think that to be called gay is an insult – and, in their confusion, label it homophobia.