Over the past few years, Dave Bautista has made a name for himself playing Guardians of the Galaxy member Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, though, the wrestler-turned-actor is proving to be a real-life superhero as well for the LGBTQ.
Recently, Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin took to Twitter to condemn those in the church who support June’s status as Gay Pride Month:
“A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ Pride Month events held in June,” Tobin wrote online. “They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.”
In a response that’s since gone viral, Bautista rebutted Tobin’s homophobic comments by sharing his own personal connection to the LGBTQ community:
“My mom’s a lesbian. I think I turned out ok. And the activities she chooses is to help the homeless and people suffering from mental illness. I admit I’m not perfect but at least I was never a judgmental hypocrite! I’m sure you dont speak for most Catholics. Have a nice day.”
In the days following, Bautista’s remarks have earned over 28,000 retweets and 180,000 likes, with commenters praising the actor for his stance. This isn’t the first time the Marvel star has publicly shared support of his mother and the LGBTQ community on social media, either. He’s especially earned a large following on Twitter for speaking his mind and never backing down from his beliefs.
Bautista’s public outrage at Disney for firing James Gunn from the third movie in the GotG franchise was a constant talking point amongst industry insiders and fans alike, as the actor even threatened to quit the production if the writer/director wasn’t reinstated. The studio has since rehired Gunn to the film, where Bautista is expected to return as the fan favorite alien.
Even before he called out Tobin’s hypocrisy though, the actor’s had a pretty eventful year. He officially wrestled in his final Wrestlemania match, retired from the WWE, and appeared in Marvel’s record-shattering Avengers: Endgame. 2020 is looking to be just as big for the actor, too, who’s set to appear in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 starts production once Gunn finishes up his Suicide Squad reboot.
