Kevin Spacey Defends Coming Out as Gay After Being Accused of Sexual Misconduct: ‘I Was Under a Lot of Pressure’
K.J. Yossman Kevin Spacey has addressed his controversial 2017 statement in which he came out as gay in response to Anthony Rapp’s accusation of sexual misconduct. “Members of the LGBTQ+ community were upset because I came out while I was responding to an accusation and now I understand why it was read that way,” Spacey told a court in London, U.K. “It wasn’t how I intended it.” The actor is giving evidence in the third week of his trial at Southwark Crown Court.
He has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of sexual assault against four different men. In 2017, Rapp was the first man to come forward publicly with his allegation of sexual misconduct, telling Buzzfeed the “House of Cards” actor had made sexual advances towards Rapp at a party when Rapp was 14 years old.
Spacey set out the circumstances surrounding the statement, which was widely condemned by peers at the time including Billy Eichner, Zachary Quinto and Rose McGowan.
GLAAD also criticized Spacey, with the org’s CEO Sarah Kate Ellis saying at the time: “Coming-out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault.” Spacey told the U.K.
