Canadian alt-pop duo Tegan & Sara have posted a swingeing attack on Tyler The Creator’s lyricism, and his supporters, on their blog. In the post on the group’s blog, Sara writes that penning the piece was not an easy decision: "I’ve asked myself a thousand times why this is pushing me over the edge. Maybe it’s the access to him (his grotesque twitter, etc). Maybe it’s because I’m a human being, both a girl and a lesbian," she writes, adding "Maybe it’s because my mom has spent her whole adult life working with teenage girls who were victims of sexual assault. Maybe it’s because in this case I don’t think race or class actually has anything to do with his hateful message but has EVERYTHING to do with why everyone refuses to admonish him for that message".
Sara asks why many have stood up for, or at least backed away from criticising, Tyler’s use of homophobic language and lyrical obsession with rape: "Is Tyler exempt because people are afraid of the backlash?" she asks, "The inevitable claim that detractors are being racist, or the brush-off that not “getting it” would indicate that you’re “old” (or a faggot)?"
Sara writes that she feels the problem is not just with Tyler, but a serious issue in a culture where homophobia is not taken seriously: "When will misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving result in meaningful repercussions in the entertainment industry? When will they be treated with the same seriousness as racist and anti-Semitic offenses? While an artist who can barely get a sentence fragment out without using homophobic slurs is celebrated on the cover of every magazine, blog and newspaper, I’m disheartened that any self-respecting human being could stand in support with a message so vile."
