MailOnline, the net version of the Daily Mail, is being heavily mocked for using the term ‘openly gay’ to attack one of the three judges who ruled MPs must be given a vote on Brexit.
Today three judges at the High Court decided Prime Minister Theresa May does not have the power to trigger Article 50 to remove the UK from the European Union without approval of parliament.
The nation voted on Brexit in June which 48.1% voted remain and 51.9% voted leave. It triggered an economic downturn, the resignation of David Cameron, and international instability.
And in a story attacking the judges posted on MailOnline, it was headlined: ‘The judges who blocked Brexit: One founded a EUROPEAN law group, another charged the taxpayer millions for advice and the third is an openly gay ex-Olympic fencer’.
The third was a reference to Sir Terence Etherton.
The Daily Mail seems appalled that an “openly gay” judge was allowed to make such an important decision… pic.twitter.com/ja8yREhpxq
— The Media Blog (@TheMediaTweets) November 3, 2016
Wtf is with the Daily Mail clearly using ‘openly gay’ as a slur #brexit pic.twitter.com/s4jMCKtDEb
— Felicity Hannah (@FelicityHannah) November 3, 2016
GAY. A GAY. IN THE JUDGES. GAY. OPENLY. GAY. pic.twitter.com/VWRgwT1wE1
— Martin F. Robbins (@mjrobbins) November 3, 2016
MailOnline soon removed the references to Sir Terence’s sexuality or to him as a third judge at all, although there is now a single, contextual reference.
The Mail haven’t just changed the ‘openly gay’ headline, they’ve purged almost all reference to the third judge from the article. Now just: pic.twitter.com/PEpIIFGnMA
— Martin F. Robbins (@mjrobbins) November 3, 2016
The website was widely mocked on Twitter.
Bravo to the Daily Mail for trying to make “openly gay ex-Olympic fencer” sound anything other than AWESOME. https://t.co/WF1EeuG3fh
— Philip Ellis (@Philip_Ellis) November 3, 2016
“openly gay ex olympic fencer” dude sounds awesome
— Etaoin Shrdlu 胆汁 (@databendr) November 3, 2016
Of course when it all goes to ratshit it’s usually the fault of openly gay Olympic fencers. Why did I never realise before. #Article50 https://t.co/QC3uVEz4us
— Dr Amy-Jane Beer (@AmyJaneBeer) November 3, 2016
Actually quite shocked by that Mail ‘openly gay’ thing. Maybe naive, but thought we’d moved past that.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) November 3, 2016
Thought they’d realised the gay fight was one they’d lost. Evidently they have the same turgid filth in their heads as they’ve always done.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) November 3, 2016
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