"I'm Still Standing" was a hit for Elton John back in the eighties. The question today is whether Dolce & Gabbana will remain standing after the rock star called for a boycott of the fashion brand. The designers, both gay, gave an interview in which they said they opposed the adoption of children by gay parents and referred to babies born through in-vitro fertilization as "synthetic children."
Mr. John, who is raising two children with his husband David Furnish, went on Instagram to call out the designers.
"How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic'. And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF — a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana"
Reactions to Mr. John's comments on social media were largely supportive, with celebrities and others joining in the condemnation of the designers' remarks. Social media messages, according to a BBC News report, supporting Mr. John are outpacing those of Messrs. Dolce and Gabbana by a roughly six-to-one margin.
Religious groups and those opposed to gay marriage and adoption were supportive of the comments made by the designers, who themselves, were a couple for over 20 years.
Dolce & Gabbana were not conciliatory, at least initially, in their response. The designers called Mr. John a fascist and posted "Je Suis D&G" on social media to try and equate their positions with the campaign that arose from the terrorist attack on the French magazine Charlie Hebdo in January.
Later, Mr. Gabbana issued a statement intended to calm some of the vitriolic sentiment being expressed on social media: "We firmly believe in democracy and the fundamental principle of freedom of expression that upholds it. We talked about our way of seeing reality, but it was never our intention to judge other people's choices."
- Elton John - Instagram
- Dolce and Gabbana's anti-gay-parenting comments reflect a conservatism they've advertised for years - Quartz
- Stars join boycott against Dolce and Gabbana - Times Live
- Dolce & Gabbana Break The Internet Coming Out Against Gay Parenthood, Elton John Cries Vendetta - Forbes
- Dolce and Gabbana say 'Boycott Elton John' - BBC News