Yahoo News Good Morning Britain viewers slam show for allowing guest who says being gay "is a choice"
Good Morning Britain viewers got riled up this morning when they featured a debate about whether LGBTQ+ issues should be taught in school.
Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway headed up the talk between Christian mum Izzy Montague and dad-of-one Tom Cox.
Tom explained: "Homophobia is taught, you are not born with it. You're born with your sexual preference – you are gay or you're not."
But things quickly became tense when Izzy, who had been rolling her eyes as Tom spoke, gave her opinion.
"I don't agree that you're born any way, of course I believe it's a choice," she said.
"I made a choice on what I believe is right or wrong. I don't remember ever thinking to myself, 'Am I gay, am I straight?' It's something based on what I believe.
"Even if I was gay, I do think I would personally, based on my belief... I feel that a heterosexual relationship is the right course of action for me. No-one has forced you to me in a gay relationship – this is a decision you've made."
Tom added: "So when did you come out as straight?"
But viewers were unhappy about Izzy's views and that ITV had let her on the show in the first place.
"Why are you giving a platform to people like this?" asked one viewer, while another added: "Where did you find this woman? Being gay is a choice? Why are you giving her airtime?"
#gmb when are you going to call this woman out for such blatant homophobia - this is unethical to allow her free rein to spew skewed arrogance in our diverse modern society
- Mark Nielson (@mark_nielson) March 21, 2019
It’s just homophobic to say / believe it’s a choice to be gay ! IT’S NOT - start looking at your language and homophobic statements Izzy! #gayrights #GMB
- KJ Mortimer (@KJLMortimer) March 21, 2019
Those saying this woman isn’t homophobic: she said gay relationships aren’t right, she called being gay a lifestyle, she said LGBT people made a choice. Her rhetoric was clearly homophobic. Stop making excuses and call it what it is. #GMB #homophobia #ignorance
- Patricia Marques (@marquesp09) March 21, 2019
Homophobia going strong on @itv @GMB being gay isn’t a choice/lifestyle. Don’t hide your homophobia behind religious beliefs. It’s offensive to the LGBTQ community and the acceptance/progress people in religious communities have made towards LGBTQ acceptance.
- John Salter (@JonSalter88) March 21, 2019
Izzy Montague is just scary to listen to. I thought we were past the belief that being gay is a choice. This is why we need to educate children on LGBT rights #gmb #goodmorningbritain
- Kristina (@pearlchavez91) March 21, 2019
Tom also said: "I think you're doing your child a disservice by not allowing them to see that families come in all shapes and sizes. We live in such a diverse time.
"There are gay people everywhere so you might be removing them from that situation. They could get on a bus and the driver is gay, they are going to be served food in a restaurant by a gay woman, a gay person may be delivering your child's baby one day."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account.
('You Might Also Like',)
