Charles Barkley’s LGBTQ support speech prompts backlash from the Black community

Sports legend Charles Barkley‘s comments of solidarity with the LGBTQ community are drawing heated reactions on social media with many commenting that the former NBA star made sweeping and erroneous statements regarding the Black community and its treatment of “gay people.” His opinion has gone viral on Twitter with many accusing him of inflammatory misrepresentation.

Barkley made the statement during this month’s election in an appearance on CNN. The “Inside the NBA” analyst said “One thing that’s always disappointed me: Black people treat gay people, we are the worst when it comes to treating gay people,” and that “It’s always bothered me.” 

Barkley’s opinions are now making the rounds on Twitter with some users scratching their heads over the matter and others, such as Twitter user W. S. Fletcher denouncing the athlete’s “broad generalizations” that “completely lacked evidence and facts.”

Many wondered why Barkley was commenting on CNN in the first place.

Barkley’s comments seem to have gone viral after the mass shooting that occurred at Club Q — a Colorado Springs gay bar — this Saturday. Many social media users have called out the cruel irony of a blanket statement about the alleged position of the black community on LGBTQ people made only days before a white man was arrested for five counts of murder in what many believe to be a hate crime.

Barkley recently signed a lucrative ten-year extension to Turner Sports (both Turner Sports and CNN are owned by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery) which means he will be continuing his sports commentary for several years to come.