Source: Chris Unger / Getty
Charles Barkley is back in the news (once again) for sharing his opinion.
Only this time, it’s not a wild sports take about the NBA stars of today, it’s an encouraging message about homophobia.
“I want to say this. If you’re gay or transgender, I love you. And if anyone gives you any sh-t, tell ’em Charles says f-ck you!” the basketball legend said while on stage at an event at Harveys Lake Tahoe on the Nevada border.
Chuck’s allyship is nothing new as he’s been spreading the love for years, notably on the Ellen DeGeneres show in 2020 after the host thanked him for being an advocate for LGBTQ rights.
He then launched into the story of how he helped get the 2016 NBA All-Star game moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to New Orleans because the former passed a bill that banned transgender people from using appropriate restrooms and also banned local governments from progressive pro-LGBTQ civil rights laws.
“I hated the ‘bathroom bill,’” Barkley told DeGeneres. “So I went to my boss and said, ‘Hey boss, I’m going to sit out of the All-Star Game. I don’t want to take away from the All-Star Game, but I’m going to sit out the All-Star Game.’”
He went on to explain that being Black, you should understand how other marginalized communities can be mistreated.
“I think anytime you’re Black, you’ve got to stand up for other people. Black people know what discrimination is like. If you’re in a position of power, you’ve got to always stand up against discrimination. I’ve been blessed… I’m never going to sit back and let discrimination happen on my watch.”
