Matt Damon: 'I do not use slurs of any kind'

3 years ago 412

(CNN)Matt Damon has issued a connection to clarify what helium meant erstwhile helium revealed that his girl schooled him connected utilizing an anti-LGBTQ+ slur.

The "Stillwater" star had told the Sunday Times successful a caller interrogation that helium retired the 'f-slur' aft his girl wrote him a "treatise" connected however incorrect the connection is aft helium said it astatine location successful the discourse of recalling gag from movie.

In Damon's connection Tuesday, helium said helium has ne'er utilized the connection successful his "personal life" and does not "use slurs of immoderate kind." He says helium was trying to amusement his girl however acold the LGBTQ+ assemblage has come, portion determination is inactive overmuch enactment near to do.

"During a caller interview, I recalled a treatment I had with my girl wherever I attempted to contextualize for her the advancement that has been made -- though by nary means completed -- since I was increasing up successful Boston and, arsenic a child, heard the connection 'f*g' utilized connected the thoroughfare earlier I knew what it adjacent referred to," Damon said successful a statement obtained by People.

CNN has contacted a rep for Damon.

"I explained that that connection was utilized perpetually and casually and was adjacent a enactment of dialog successful a movie of excavation arsenic precocious arsenic 2003; she successful crook expressed incredulity that determination could ever person been a clip wherever that connection was utilized unthinkingly," his connection continued. "To my admiration and pride, she was highly articulate astir the grade to which that connection would person been achy to idiosyncratic successful the LGBTQ+ assemblage careless of however culturally normalized it was. I not lone agreed with her but thrilled astatine her passion, values and tendency for societal justice."

Damon stressed that helium does not usage slurs of immoderate benignant successful his idiosyncratic life.

"I person ne'er called anyone 'f****t' successful my idiosyncratic beingness and this speech with my girl was not a idiosyncratic awakening. I bash not usage slurs of immoderate kind," helium said. "I person learned that eradicating prejudice requires progressive question toward justness alternatively than uncovering passive comfortableness successful imagining myself 'one of the bully guys'. And fixed that unfastened hostility against the LGBTQ+ assemblage is inactive not uncommon, I recognize wherefore my connection led galore to presume the worst."

He signed disconnected with, "To beryllium arsenic wide arsenic I tin be, I basal with the LGBTQ+ community."

GLAAD issued a connection successful effect to the discussions astir Damon's remarks.

"The conversations that person arisen aft Matt Damon's archetypal interrogation and consequent remarks contiguous are an important reminder that this word, oregon immoderate connection that aims to disparage and disrespect LGBTQ people, has nary spot successful mainstream media, societal media, classrooms, workplaces, and beyond," said GLAAD's Head of Talent Anthony Allen Ramos. "There needs to beryllium accountability astatine a clip erstwhile anti-LGBTQ slurs stay rampant contiguous and tin substance favoritism and stereotypes, particularly erstwhile utilized by those extracurricular of the assemblage to defame oregon picture LGBTQ people."

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