Daily Mail "Writer" Blasted Over Stephen Gately Slur

Daily Mail Writer Blasted Over Gately Slur

10:47pm UK, Friday October 16, 2009

Hazel Tyldesley, Sky News Online
Stephen Gately's family is said to be "very disappointed" by a Daily Mail column on the subject of their son's death that has provoked a surge of complaints to the press watchdog.

Writer Jan Moir's opinion piece was dedicated to the untimely demise of the gay singer, in circumstances she described as being "more than a little sleazy".

It led to over 1,000 reports to the Press Complaints Commission, causing their website to crash, and has been widely condemned on social networking sites.

Meanwhile, major firms rushed to tie connections with the piece, with a Marks and Spencer spokesperson saying: "We have asked the Daily Mail to move our advertisement away from the article. This is a matter for The Daily Mail."

In her piece on Gately's death, Moir wrote: "The sugar coating on this fatality is so saccharine-thick that it obscures whatever bitter truth lies beneath.

"...I think if we are going to be honest, we would have to admit that the circumstances surrounding his death are more than a little sleazy."

Moir's column, which goes on to discuss the "happy-ever-after myth of civil marriages" has provoked accusations of homophobia and forced the journalist to issue a statement.

I think it is mischievous in the extreme to suggest that my article has homophobic and bigoted undertones.


Reporting from Dublin, Sky's Enda Brady said Gately's family were not planning to read the column.

"I know his family are aware of the article, they have not read it, they will not read it, but they know what is contained in it and they know the sentiment," he said.

"They are just very, very disappointed."

Meanwhile, the editor of the UK's best-selling gay magazine Attitude, said Moir's decision to link Gately's death with that of Matt Lucas' former civil partner seemed to be an "excuse to stick the boot in the gay population."

"If that's not homophobic, what is homophobia?" he told Sky News.

In a statement, Moir rubbished suggestions of homophobia and blamed the backlash on a plot by social networkers.

"...The point of my column-which, I wonder how many of the people complaining have fully read - was to suggest that, in my honest opinion, his death raises many unanswered questions," she said.

"In what is clearly a heavily orchestrated internet campaign I think it is mischievous in the extreme to suggest that my article has homophobic and bigoted undertones."

Jan Moir Column: Daily Mail Writer In Stephen Gately Row After Discussion His Death In Opinion Piece | Showbiz News | Sky News


In My Opinion, It`s Just Another Arsehole Trying To Promote A RAG Of A Paper!

Fooking Bitch is all i can say

complete arsehole

cant they just leave him alone, the only ones who are going to be hurt by this is his family.
the Sun hounded him and his partners for years until they forced him to come out, they offered anyone who had been with him money, to sell their story, and fair play to the gay community in Dublin, they refused to a man and woman.
newspapers only care about Money.
there was a new film reviewed on newstalk today, where they got people to ring in the celebrity hotlines to see how many ridiculous stories they would print, and they printed quite a few.

its all about selling papers they dont care who it hurts.

Once again the papers doing what they do best, talk shite, I don't personally buy any papers because of the amount of rubbish they elaborate on or lie about just to sell there toilet paper.
It's about time this sort of abuse to people by the papers was stopped.

Feck the papers, who give a shit about there drivel, Stephen Gately isn't alone this evening thanks to his true friends and will have the best send off possible tomorrow.

May the true gent rest in peace and my thoughts go out to his family and close friends.

Our prayers and thoughts are with Stephens family at this time,and as for those media toe rags such as Noels earlier post, scum is all i can say.

My heart goes out to Stephen,s family and the Thousants of fans,who at this very moment
and for a long long time to come,will be Mourning the sad loss of Stephen.