It’s 2021 but bisexual MAFS star Liam Cooper and his boyfriend Samuel Levi are “disgusted” by homophobic abuse in response to an ad campaign of them together.
Last week, the couple appeared together in an ad on retailer Big W’s Instagram. The men modelled matching sets of Christmas-themed pyjamas.
But the sweet pic was not well-received by some of the company’s Instagram followers. Some of them wrote disapproving replies including some shocking homophobic slurs.
Others supported the couple, including one who commented, “Why can’t people see this as just a picture of a couple wearing cute Xmas pyjamas? There’s nothing offensive about this.”
“These comments are an absolute disgrace,” another wrote.
Big W soon deleted the abuse, commenting, “This is a friendly reminder that we welcome discussion however we will remove offensive comments and behaviour going against our community guidelines.
“Please help us keep this a safe and positive community and experience for everyone!”
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Liam Cooper and Samuel Levi ‘disgusted’ by homophobic abuse
Liam Cooper, who was Married At First Sight Australia‘s first bisexual groom, told the So Dramatic! podcast he was “disgusted” to see the “absolutely disgraceful” abuse.
“This is sad and really disappointing as it’s 2021 and all we were doing was working with a brand we love,” he said.
“Why was there need for hateful comments regarding our sexuality?
“Samuel and myself were trolled all day and night after this. The post had no ill intention and was only showcasing love and Christmas pyjamas.”
He praised the company’s response and thank the Big W team for being “really supportive”.
“Big W reached out asking if we were okay and that they don’t stand for those types of comments,” he said.
“They went through and deleted all the nasty comments, as much as they could.
“Big W is trying to be inclusive and support the LGBTQIA+ commumity. It’s a shame this is the reception those efforts get.”
A Big W spokesperson said the company was “proud to feature a diverse range of talent representing modern Australian families and communities.”
“One of our core values is to build an inclusive culture where our LGBTQI team members and customers feel supported and respected,” they said.
“We don’t tolerate discrimination and we’ll continue to moderate the page by removing discriminatory comments.”
Couple met in Brisbane earlier this year
Liam Cooper was the first bisexual groom on Married At First Sight Australia. He appeared on the show earlier this year.
His partner Samuel Levi also appeared on the New Zealand version of the reality show in 2019. The couple made it Instagram official in July.
Liam, who’s from Brisbane, met Samuel at this year’s Big Gay Day street festival in Fortitude Valley in May.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
I am a gay man 90 years old , so have had my share of Homophobic comments.
Generally I find those who are the most vocal with most objectionable slurs have more problems of their own .
A Quote ” he who protesteth too much”
Good on you guys
Great to see our community represented in these ads. Unfortunately the haters gonna hate and there is nothing we can do about it. All praise to BigW for the way it has acted in deleting all of the abuse. People who react so emphatically usually have their own issues to deal with and the worst might even be projecting their self hatred onto others. Luckily these people are in the minority. By all means feel free to “name and shame” them on your social media.