Has Donna been forgiven?

[Leatherman]

As we all know Donna said some silly things in the 80's that caused a big backlash against her in the gay community. Obviously, she has said she didn't mean it, sorry, etc, but she still said that christian homophobic ****, no-one can change that. Has it all been completly fogotten about now? Has she been forgiven or has it just been brushed under the carpet because you like her music and want to keep enjoying it. I'm just curious because you guys generally seem pretty keen on her and I wondered what the general view was now?

[NickNack]

Leatherman,

This is another one of those 'been there, done that' topics, discussed at length the first time around. I think a lot of us came to a conclusion that what was rumoured to have been said, what was reported to have been said and what was actually said and could be proven were miles apart.

Yes, the "gay community" was upset for a while, banning her records and so forth. Sadly, there was something just a little more important really tearing us aprart: AIDS.

Donna's alleged faux-pas became a 'whatever' and by the time she released THIS TIME I KNOW IT'S FOR REAL it was a non-issue with the people I hung with.

[DiscoMan]

NickNack's right about HIV.
Don't forget that HIV/AIDS absolutely devastated the Disco Talent pool between 1981 and 1991!
To you youngsters who've wondered what happened to Disco - just check the rolls of the dearly departed.

[efunk_adelic]

someone enlighten me on where this artical came from? I'd like to read what she said... word for word... or the original thread would be ok... I guess... thanks

[NickNack]

Efunk,

I searched through some of my old posts. It seems the thread might have taken place before Bernie redesigned the board. If that's true, then it explains why I don't see it.

I remember someone pointing out in the thread that there didn't seem to be anything in print that was able to quote exactly what Donna allegedly said and when.

[efunk_adelic]

Nick,

thanks for taking the time to do that... :)

In her defense... she's only human.. She probably didn't mean it in such a sinister maner anyway. Hopefully someone will find the artical and we'll continue to have something to talk about..

[The Nickel Shoe]

well, do we care whether Donna has been forgiven or not, I never liked her much, but like all human being I realize she said things that would be best for her at that specific time, I'm gay, but the people within the gay community are very much canteers. It is said that gay people would come as one with the rest of the population, but the gay culture is going the total opposite way.
However, I had the Donna interview, and her denial, but cannot find them now.
Nickel

[Forrrce]

Here's an article which may clear the haze a bit:

http://www.donna-tribute.com/articles/wrongly.html

[Rab]

As far as Donna Summer's homophobia being a "rumor". I think the only thing that was rumored, was that it was a rumor. Yes, this is an old tired topic...but of course we always have newcomers coming aboard that may not have been around at the time it was discussed. I distinctly remember hearing an interview with her on a disco radio station in Boston back around 1980 confirming her homophobic position...since it was upsetting, it was the sort of thing you don't forget. She may have recanted since then...if she is now claiming it was a rumor, I think it may be in response to realizing how important the gay community was to her, and how difficult it's been for her to get back on track. Truthfully, my impression is that the gay community has been a very forgiving people. So many people continue to be missinformed about sexual orientation based on myths and missinformation perpetuated by hate. When people become "evolved" i.e. meeting gay people first hand, it dawns on them that sexual orientation may be as organic as being left handed. And regardless of the origin of sexual orientation, it is not an issue of morality anyway.

I can remember hearing another interview with Donna Summer where she was put on the defense for her position, and I only heard the very end of the interview, I remember her stating something like, "How could I have said anything like that when I have lost so many close people from AIDS. I have seen Donna interviewed a few times, I can even remember her on the Merv Griffin show back in 1978. She generally does not give a very sophisticated interview, one would expect someone of her calibre to be a little more in-depth.
I think she would be the ideal person for Bernie to interview, I'm sure she's got some spare time on her hands these days...

[SandraDee]

I've always found Donna very shallow & unintersting in interviews. Its dissappointing as I love her records so much but at the end of the day she could be a 3-headed axe murderess who eats babies & I'd still buy her records if they were good. I never let what an artist is like in their private life influence my enjoyment of their work. But hey, that's just me.

[Rugger57]

I have been digging in the vaults here and have found many threads about Donna Summer and her views of gays and AIDS in the early 80's, but have never come across what she SUPPOSEDLY said.

If my memory serves correct, it was that Donna supposedly said that AIDS was the scourge of the gay community...God's wrath upon the gay community for their sins. Then someone commented to Donna, "Like sicle cell anemia is the scourge for the black community?"

That's the way I remember it.........

[A2Mark57]

I would second Forrrce's recommendation that anyone who's interested in the topic read the "Donna Tribute" article:

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I agree that Donna doesn't give a sophisticated interview. She tends to be simple and honest. I think she simply and honestly answered the questions of a reporter who was out to crucify her. She was a Christian. Her church believed that homosexuality was wrong. When she acknowledged those things, it became, "DONNA GOES ON JIHAD AGAINST GAYS!" Oy. She never went on the attack. Donna was never Anita Bryant or Falwell or any other anti-gay crusader. She just answered a couple of questions, and our cub reporter Mary Sensational seized his opportunity to Make It Big.

So her religion didn't/doesn't think homosexuality is right. Neither does the Catholic church (the possible exception of priestly pedastery excepted, of course.) But I can't count the number of Catholic friends I have who are somehow able to totally "accept" and cherish me despite my gayness. (Nor can I count the number of Catholic men I've boinked, but that's a whole 'nother story.) Being a member of a church that has stupid beliefs does not make one closed-minded oneself. People join for a number of reasons, and they do their own mental gymnastics to be able to get past the bad aspects of it to enjoy the positives.

I'm not excusing anti-gay religion. I just don't think all members of those denominations are evil.

If I'd had lingering anti-Donna feelings, they would have been dispelled by the fact that she performed at a Gay Pride event in Orlando this summer.

[EricHG23]

Very well said, and I agree with you 100%. Basically I have no doubt she probably did at some point say something she shouldn't (it should also be poitned out that in the early to mid 80s she was at her most born again Christian--partly, it now sounds, cuz she needed to hold onto that to get outa the severe depressiona nd addictions she had int he late 70s--so I guess i have to be partly thankful--anyway though she was pretty insane back then, I've heard of her turnign down songs that were even sligthly risque, etc. She's obviously loosened up a LOT since then and come to a sorta happier medium, as a lot of people do with time).

As someone who's a hardcore disco fan, especially of eurodisco and often the more obscure or "arty" stuff (Costandinos, Midney are much more heroes to me than Chic, even though I like Chic) I often have a hard time with a sorta snobbery among other people into obscure disco when Donna comes up. Probably because she was so big and mainstream and also some of the feelings left over from the 80s--But I admit--Donna is what got me into disco (ten years ago when I really discovered her completely by chance as a young teen)--it was Donna and then other Moroder productions and then I was hooked--and I really think her albums are disco masterpieces that really bridge the commerical mainstream disco part and the artier, more interesting disco the way few other artists have--and Donna herself deserves a lot of the credit for that.

E

[A2Mark57]

AMEN, brother Eric!