Somizi calls out ‘trolls’ hiding racism and homophobia behind clap backs

Media personality Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung says he is not happy with how trolls go below the belt when clapping back on social media, especially when they are homophobic or racist.

He took to Instagram recently to express how he felt about people using homophobia and racism to respond to hate on social media.

“I am very perturbed. When people have no proper or hit-hit clap backs, they resort to racism or homophobia, or they resort to being ageist or body shaming. For me, you’ve lost a battle especially if the person is not coming from any of the angles. Like [the person] is not attacking your race, is not attacking your sexuality, or attacking your physicality, you’ve already lost.”

Referring to a video he saw making the rounds on social media of a gay man bashing the Zulu nation, Somizi said that will he was not in support of tribalism, he was not in favour of trolls who brought up his sexuality as an argument.

“There’s a video of an obviously homosexual guy who is disrespecting the Zulu nation. Gay as I am, I find it offensive. I don’t support tribalism, but then Zulu straight people come and say ‘this gay person’. He’s gay. He did not hide behind it, he’s not ashamed of being a homosexual so if you think you are insulting a gay person by telling them they are gay, you’re not.” he said.

“Tell it for what it is. He’s being disrespectful and being a trialist. Stop being boring homophobes,” he said.

Watch the video below:

This isn’t the first time the Idols SA judge has moved to deal with racists and homophobes.

In 2018, Somizi appealed to the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to take on homophobic slurs in the same way it fights racial ones. He met with the commission to discuss the matter after two social media messages he claimed targeted him because of his sexuality.

Speaking on his Metro FM breakfast show with DJ Fresh, Somizi said he was going ahead with action against Lia Meyer who tweeted using the K-word in reference to him last month. She later said her Twitter account had been hacked.

He also responded to a recent open letter from Twitter comedian Careless De who claimed Somizi and his “gay friends” dressed like clowns. 

Somizi decided to use the two examples in his request to the SAHRC.

“I found it (the open letter) offensive and homophobic and challenged the Human Rights Commission. I said to them, ‘I am challenging you. The same way you made it illegal and a crime for someone to use the K-word, it is the same thing I want from now on’.”

Responding to Somizi's call at the time, SAHRC Gauteng manager Buang Jones told TshisaLIVE the commission took all complaints seriously and fought all forms of discrimination and hate speech, including homophobic comments.

“It is not necessarily something we say —  that we take homophobic hate speech as seriously as racial hate speech —  but it goes without saying. Hate speech is hate speech. We have taken people to the equality court on this matter and on numerous other matters, not just racial.”