Provocateur, author, reality TV star and fashion designer Jim Lyngvild has been fired from his job as the host of Copenhagen Pride due to remarks the event’s organisers felt were offensive and inflammatory. Lyngvild has for many years now been the host of the event, which takes place every year at the beginning of August.
The remarks were made during a last week interview with Ekstra Bladet newspaper, where the controversial Lyngvild was discussing his many tattoos. On whether it hurt to get tattooed, Lyngvild answered that the only people who whine about it are “little faggots” (små bøssekarle).
Responding to the remarks, Copenhagen Pride released an official statement yesterday explaining their view on the matter.
“Following Jim Lyngvild's remarks we feel it is our duty to make clear that there is no right or wrong way to be a man, woman, gay or transsexual. The backbone of the festival has always been inclusion and diversity," the statement read. "It has now been decided in mutual consent that Jim Lyngvild step down as the host of Copenhagen Pride.”
Despite the diplomatic announcement from Copenhagen Pride, Lyngvild responded by posting his version of the story on his Facebook page.
“Hurrah, I have been fired … or did I resign?,” Lyngvild wrote.
Lyngvild expressed his lack for words on the matter by writing a long, harsh note aimed at the organisers of the event, where he claimed he himself was a “little faggot” and he was simply being ironic. He also added that he was willing to do what the organisers had asked of him, which is to apologise.
“I just want to say that I had nothing against making an apology, but when you are dealing with a Stasi-like administration that decides how to apologise and how to act as a gay man in this country, well then I say stop,” Lyngvild, who is gay himself, wrote.
Both the Facebook page of Lyngvild and Copenhagen Pride have seen massive debates, with opinions split on whether the decision was justifiable or not.
“I don’t understand how such a small comment can be blown up into something so big," Dorthe Gissel Jensen wrote on Lyngvild's Facebook pages. "But, okay, it is summer and agurketid so the media is willing to cook something up out of nothing."
Other commenters feel that it was high time that Lyngvild was relieved of his host duties.
“I think it was a good decision," Sissel Hansen on Copenhagen Pride's Facebook page. "I feel that it is about time a host gets picked who is more interested in promoting Pride, rather than himself.”
