Peter Hasson on April 24, 2018
LGBTQ group PFLAG has rescinded an award honoring MSNBC host Joy Reid amid a growing backlash to anti-gay blog posts that appeared on Reid’s old blog.
PFLAG was poised to honor Reid with the group’s annual “Straight for Equality in Media” award in May but reversed that decision on Tuesday after Reid’s explanation for the posts appeared to fall apart.
The anti-gay posts, which internet sleuths found on the Internet Archive April 18, had been fabricated by unknown hackers, Reid claimed. The archive issued a statement on Tuesday disputing Reid’s claim, declaring they had found no evidence of manipulation.
Reid previously apologized in December 2017 for old blog posts speculating on the sexual orientation of former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
“When we extended our invitation to Ms. Reid to honor her at our 45th anniversary celebration, we did so knowing about the blog posts from the late 2000s regarding Charlie Crist,” PFLAG president Jean Hodges said in a statement Tuesday.
“We appreciated how she stepped up, took ownership, apologized for them, and did better — this is the behavior and approach we ask of any ally. However, in light of new information, and the ongoing investigation of that information, we must at this time rescind our award to Ms. Reid.”
