LGBTQ+ group calls out Olivia Colman after she described herself as a 'gay man'
The Fantastic Lesbians pointed out that the actress' words could feel 'painful' to those who've faced the 'realities of actually being gay'
Rhianna Benson
Earlier this month, Olivia Colman went viral for claiming she identifies as a 'gay man'.
The Oscar-winner’s controversial comments have since been criticised by members of an LGBTQ+ group, who slammed them as 'deeply painful'.
For those who missed it, Colman's unexpected remarks came whilst promoting her latest project - a drama flick titled Jimpa that explores the dynamics in a family with multiple queer members.
Also starring John Lithgow and Kate Box, the upcoming blockbuster sees Colman take on the role of Hannah, who, with her non-binary daughter, Frances, travels to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, Jimpa.
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"When Frances expresses a desire to stay with Jimpa for a year abroad, Hannah is forced to reconsider her parenting beliefs and the stories she has long told about her family," the dramatic synopsis continues.
Chatting to Them last week (10 February), Colman - who has been married to husband Ed Sinclair since 2001 - surprised fans by claiming she feels 'sort of non-binary', and describes herself to her husband as a 'gay man'.
"Throughout my whole life, I’ve had arguments with people where I've always felt sort of non-binary," The Favourite actress began.
"Don’t make that a big sort of title! But I’ve never felt massively feminine in my being female. I’ve always described myself to my husband as a gay man.
"And he goes, 'Yeah, I get that.'. So I do feel at home and at ease."
Colman went on to insist: "I feel like I have a foot in various camps. I know many people who do."
Of she and Sinclair’s dynamic, she lastly concluded: "I think with my husband and I, we take turns to be the ‘strong one,’ or the one who needs a little bit of gentleness. I believe everyone has all of it in them.
"I’ve always felt like that. It’s only now, and talking to Aud and their community, suddenly I’m not an oddity."
Responding to Colman’s comments, members of a Scottish lesbian support group have since penned a passionate open letter to the actress, slamming her words as 'deeply painful' for anyone who has faced the 'realities of actually being gay'.
The statement, shared by a spokesperson for The Fantastic Lesbians on X (formerly Twitter), read: "For many people in the lesbian and gay community, sexuality has not simply been a label but a journey marked by confusion, fear, self-interrogation, and often profound alienation from family, faith communities or societies at large.
"Heterosexuality, in contrast, exists within an inclusive heteronormative framework. It is affirmed in media, celebrated in family structures, and reinforced by social expectations."
The letter went on to point out: "Many heterosexual people never have to question their orientation, never have to ‘come out,’ never have to weigh the risk of disappointing loved one simply for being who they are.
"They are not typically asked to justify their relationships or prove the legitimacy of their families."
The group concluded their letter by insisting the motivation behind it hadn’t stemmed from wanting to 'accuse or attack' Colman, but to 'express the hurt that can arise when lived experiences that have involved marginalisation are treated as interchangeable with those that have not'.
"For many, being gay has required courage, resilience, and sacrifice in ways that heterosexual life simply has not demanded," it added.\
Tyla previously contacted Olivia Colman’s representatives for comment.