Hill Harper is an asshole. - What a disappointment

[tulipsandroses]

He used to be one of my favorite actors. I bought letters to a young brother for my son when he was younger. I've always felt he was a grounded inspirational person. This just makes me ill.

Now, either he's a transphobic asshole or really tone deaf. Which is it?

This happened a few months by the way, just read about it today.

There's a lot going on in the world right now. There's a virus and disease that's currently causing a global pandemic that has been ongoing for the past few months. There's also another fatal ongoing epidemic of systemic, fatal racism against Black people. And that's just this week!

But, with all of those things happening, actor Hill Harper thought that now was the perfect time to avert his attention from those issues and instead misgender a child at a time when being quiet is still an option. My god.

For Zaya Wade's 13th birthday, her mother Gabrielle Union-Wade posted a celebratory post on Instagram.

"Happy Birthday baby!!!" she wrote. "I can't believe you are 13!! Zaya you are such an inspiration and motivation to get my butt up everyday and fight. When I'm weary, furstrated, full of rage, I see your face and your joy and you living your best life and I want that for all of us.

"I love you sooooo much kid!!" she continued. "Enjoy this day and everyday knowing you are loved, protected, respected, admired and celebrated."


The comments on the celebratory post were mostly positive. But one response in particular, from The Good Doctor, Homeland, and CSI: New York actor Hill Harper stood out.

"Happy Birthday young man!!" Harper wrote. Zaya has quite publicly began to use she/her pronouns with Gabrielle and Dwyane both referring to her as their daughter. "Read "Letters to a Young Brother"!!! Your mom wrote something in it!! You'll love it! Have a great day!!"

https://www.out.com/celebs/2020/5/29/actor-hill-harper-misgendered-zaya-wade-her-birthday

[brush]

1. He should know better and follow the parents lead in using the right pronoun.

You'd think he'd be more knowledgeable.

[Blue_playwright]

2. A friend's child is trans...

... it is very difficult when you aren’t living in that change on a daily basis to keep it front of mind. I still catch myself occasionally saying the wrong pronoun. Her mom gets it, though, and lets it slide because she knows I try and I’m respectful. I’m assuming Union is the same.

[tulipsandroses]

3. This was deliberate.

First he says Happy birthday young man
Then goes on to say " Read letters to a young brother" - That was the book he wrote addressing young black men.
This wasn't him just slipping. He was being intentional.

[bluedye33139]

4. Alarming language from him, but he did state he was wrong

His apology was pretty direct, acknowledged that he had misgendered the child of a friend, apologized for the error, and did not attempt to justify his language. In his defense, he did not pull a Joy Reid and claim that he had been hacked or had entered into a fugue state and had no memory of that period of his life, etc.

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/05/30/good-doctor-star-hill-harper-apologises-misgendering-zaya-wade-birthday-book/