These stars are no strangers to controversy and they can add transphobe and homophobe to their list of monikers. From Macy Gray claiming that surgery doesn’t make you a woman to Donna Summer blaming the gay community for AIDS, these celebrities have shown themselves to be less than allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Read on to be surprised by the stars who have spoken out...

In 2019, the author behind the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, was seemingly cancelled after a transphobic twitter controversy in which she spoke out at the silencing of female academics in the trans debate. Rowling wrote: "Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?" Then in December 2021, Rowling landed herself in hot water again with new transgender comments. J.K. hit out against the police’s decision to log rapists as women if they identify as such. Part quoting the novel '1984', she stated: "War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is a Woman.”

The stand-up star was forced to make an apology after his live show was cancelled last minute due to controversy over his jokes. It was no laughing matter to the trans community after he described trans people as “confusing” in his ‘Sticks and Stones’ Netflix special and also stated that "Gender is a fact. Every human being in this room, every human being on Earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on Earth. This is a fact."

The British comedian defended his right to tell taboo jokes after LGBT rights group hit out at Ricky for discriminating against transgender and gay people. In a Netflix special broadcasted in May 2022, the comic poked fun at the community in his stand up routine by making a series of gags that included trans people and AIDS. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Tweeted: “We watched the Ricky Gervais ‘Comedy’ special on Netflix so you don’t have to. It’s full of graphic, dangerous, anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes. He also spouts anti-gay rhetoric and spreads inaccurate information about HIV.”

The former Victoria’s Secret chief marketing officer came under fire after claiming that transexual models should not be cast in the show. Razek was forced to apologise for his 2018 interview with Vogue for claiming that transgender models do not fit the mould “because the show is a fantasy” and that the audience would have no interest in seeing them.

Donna Summer was a gay icon due to her disco classics like 'Bad Girls', 'Hot Stuff' and 'No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)'. But her post-70s career was harmed by homophobic comments she allegedly made during an 1983 concert came back to haunt her, something she vehemently denied. Donna was accused of telling her audience: "It was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, “I’ll pray for you tonight. “I’ve seen the evil homosexuality come out of you people … AIDS is your sin… Now don’t get me wrong, God loves you. But not the way you are now.”

In 2012, a recording of the heiress where she claimed gay men were “disgusting” was leaked. The ‘Simple Life’ star - who was in the back of a taxi with a gay man, that was showing her the gay dating app Grindr – said: "Gay guys are the horniest people in the world. They're disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS. ... I would be so scared if I were a gay guy. You'll like, die of AIDS." Paris later issued an apology statement in which she insisted she isn't homophobic. She said: "I am so sorry and so upset that I caused pain to my gay friends, fans, and their families. Gay people are the strongest and most inspiring people I know."

The ‘Hocus Pocus’ star sparked backlash over her anti-trans tweets after she weighed in on the gender debate claiming that cisgender women are being deprived of human rights. She tweeted: "WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our name! "They don't call us "women" anymore; they call us "birthing people" or "menstruators", and even "people with vaginas"! Don't let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!"

Macy Gray wouldn’t be the multi-award winning soul star she is today if it wasn’t for her fans, which includes members of the LGBT community. But the ‘Sweet Baby’ hit maker shot herself in the foot after saying that “surgery doesn’t make you a woman”. she said. "I will say this and everybody's going to hate me, but, as a woman, just because you go change your parts, doesn't make you a woman. Sorry." "If you want me to call you a her, I will, because that's what you want, but that doesn't make you a woman just because I call you a her and just because you got a surgery."

Controversial talk show host Piers Morgan supported Macy Gray after she came under fire for her anti-trans remarks and defended his right to express his views on the subject. He wrote on Twitter: “I don't hate the people, I hate the movement. Human beings are male or female. Not whatever they fancy being. “I support those who transition, just as I’ve always loudly supported gay rights, but I don’t support the ridiculous notion of 100 genders, and most sensible people agree with me.”

The Oscar winner who played Jesus in the ‘Passion of Christ’ fell from Hollywood’s grace. His anti-Semitic outbursts had him go from ‘Braveheart’ to black heart in an instant. Alongside being a “deranged bigot” he is also a homophobe. Back in 1991, Gibson told Spanish newspaper El Pais: “They take it up the a**... this is only for taking a sh*t, “With this look, who is going to think I'm gay? I don't lend myself to that type of confusion. Do I look like a homosexual? Do I talk like them? Do I move like them?”