
The Internet can be a funny place. No sooner had the New York Times coined the term “gay Twitter” to describe online backlash to a Hillary Clinton statement about Nancy Reagan, that very story prompted an online backlash of its own.
“There’s a gay twitter?” one commenter quickly tweeted.
The fuss started with the Times’ story — published online on Friday and initially headlined “Hillary Clinton Lauds Reagans on AIDS. Gay Twitter Erupts” — about the Democratic presidential frontrunner apologizing for comments she made about Nancy Reagan’s “effective, low-key advocacy” of HIV/AIDS.
Also Read: Hillary Clinton Apologizes for Praising Nancy Reagan's Response to HIV/AIDS (Video)
LGBT advocates noted that both Ronald and Nancy Reagan have been widely criticized for ignoring the AIDS epidemic, which started during Reagan’s second year in office — prompting Clinton to walk back her initial praise for the former first lady, whose funeral was held on Friday.
The New York Times piece was correct about one thing… Twitter soon erupted, but it wasn’t so much about Clinton’s head-scratching apology. It was about the Times itself, whom some online commenters called insensitive in its terminology.
Frank Rich, a former New York Times columnist now with New York magazine, slammed his former employer: “Gay Twitter? Saying that only gay people were appalled by Clinton’s ‘misspeak’ is also offensive.”
Also Read: Nancy Reagan Remembered by NYT DC Bureau Chief Elisabeth Bumiller (Video)
And some had some choice words we’d rather not repeat… but we include their tweets for your enjoyment.
By evening, the paper had updated the headline on its website to read: “Hillary Clinton Lauds Reagans on AIDS. A Backlash Erupts.”
A spokesperson for the Times did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Hillary Clinton lauds the Reagans on AIDS. Gay Twitter erupts. https://t.co/FM6he59J0i pic.twitter.com/ndtaU8OghO
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) March 11, 2016
"Gay Twitter"? Saying that only gay people were appalled by Clinton's "misspeak" is also offensive. https://t.co/BaEiEm5ttk
— Frank Rich (@frankrichny) March 12, 2016
@nytpolitics Insinuating AIDS is only a gay issue and disparaging "Gay Twitter" for calling out HRC's vile statements makes it worse. ENOUGH
— Zach Haller (@zachhaller) March 12, 2016
There's a gay twitter? https://t.co/Ne0MWMWyeu
— Viktor T. (@wondermann5) March 12, 2016
wtf is gay twitter https://t.co/LpEmx4oGcS
— Allison Kilkenny (@allisonkilkenny) March 12, 2016
"Gay Twitter erupts" is what I want engraved on my tombstone https://t.co/WZDILErTdT
— Broderick Greer (@BroderickGreer) March 11, 2016
"Gay Twitter" – the New York Times https://t.co/5tkGYTfMQk
— Kevin O'Keeffe (@kevinpokeeffe) March 11, 2016
To be honest, my dream is to have a NY Times headline about me with the words "gay twitter erupts" after too. pic.twitter.com/TbN4IglEB9
— Jeffery Self (@JefferySelf) March 11, 2016
i really dislike the headline on this piece, partly because it takes away from the fact clinton was just wrong https://t.co/HftINjHoY7
— Tony Romm (@TonyRomm) March 11, 2016
"Why don't you just leave gay Twitter?" pic.twitter.com/6Oor6QHYSH
— Phillip Van De Kamp (@MajorPhilebrity) March 10, 2016