Anthony Mundine Says His Anti-Gay Rant Was Taken Out Of Context

Boxer Anthony Mundine has claimed his anti-gay rant after leaving reality TV series I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here was taken out of context.

Mundine was filmed saying he believed capital punishment would “deter the problem” of homosexuality, which he said should be “kept behind closed doors, how it used to be.”

“If we were to live in a society, just like in Aboriginal culture, that homosexuality is forbidden and you do it and the consequences are capital punishment or death, you think you are going to do it? Or think twice about doing it?” he said.

Mundine was asked to clarify if he thought gay people should be executed, to which he responded, “The pedophiles mainly, hang them suckers and let’s see if they have the balls to do it again,” he said, before attempting to draw a link between LGBTIQ rights and pedophilia.

He added he believes homosexuality is “a choice” and he doesn’t think gay actors or characters should appear on television to stop them encouraging children to become gay.

But the boxer told the Daily Mail he had “nothing against the gays” and that his comments about imposing the death penalty for homosexuality had been twisted.

“I’ve got nothing against the gays, I’ve got nothing against them,” he said.

“They [the media] turned it around… I was talking about the paedophiles.”

At the time, many took to social media to condemn Mundine’s inflammatory comments.

Dameyon Bonson, founder of Indigenous LGBTIQ group Black Rainbow, tweeted, “Anthony Mundine has yet to provide any basis for his homophobic remarks that, in Aboriginal culture homosexuality results in ‘capital punishment or death’.

“It is well documented that homophobia leads to suicide. So well done Anthony and his apologists too.

“Australia got the marriage vote, but there is still so much more work that needs to be done. So much more.”