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Conor McGregor isn’t necessarily anti-gay, but his use of gay slurs certainly is

The use of the slur is based on years of cultural reinforcement.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor
No one is surprised that Conor McGregor repeatedly used a gay slur this weekend.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Some people are tripping over themselves to explain away Conor McGregor’s use of a gay slur over the weekend. A big reason for this is trying to understand how someone could campaign for marriage equality in Ireland while at the same time using a disgusting, inexcusable gay slur to demean people.

It reflects what I’ve said for years. The use of gay slurs does not necessarily indicate a rejection of gay people. Instead, it reflects years of exposure to a culture that looks at gay mean as weaker and less-than.

No doubt, somewhere in the back of his mind is the idea that gay men are weaker and less-than. That isn’t an idea he came up with, it has been planted there and reinforced for years.

No doubt his use of the word is his own responsibility, and he needs to take responsibility for the meaning of the word when he uses it.