George Takei: Don’t equate Kevin Spacey’s predatory behavior with his sexuality

In the wake of allegations over alleged past sexual misconduct, actor Kevin Spacey is getting doubly slammed for choosing to use the growing scandal as an opportunity to go public with his homosexuality. The timing couldn’t be worse, since a common narrative disseminated by the religious right and other homophobic groups links homosexuality to pedophilia. Now, actor and gay rights activist George Takei wants to make sure people reject that false narrative.

This Sunday, BuzzFeed News published a piece where actor Anthony Rapp alleged that when he was 14-years-old, Spacey cornered him at a party and became sexually aggressive. Spacey apologized for his “inappropriate drunken behavior” but claims not to remember the incident.

As Takei points out, sexual harassment and abuse has nothing to do with sexuality; it’s all about power.

“When power is used in a non-consensual situation, it is a wrong,” Takei said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter this Monday. “For Anthony Rapp, he has had to live with the memory of this experience of decades ago. For Kevin Spacey, who claims not to remember the incident, he was the older, dominant one who had his way. Men who improperly harass or assault do not do so because they are gay or straight — that is a deflection. They do so because they have the power, and they chose to abuse it.”

“He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?'” Rapp told BuzzFeed. “And then he lays down on top of me. He was trying to seduce me. I don’t know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually.”

Spacey’s response is the subject of growing criticism. In a addition to Takei, other celebrities such as Lance Bass and Zachary Quinto have voiced their displeasure with Spacey.

Featured image via Flickr

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.