[vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Anthony Rapp, the actor famous for playing Lieutenant Paul Stamets in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ has made headlines recently for accusing Kevin Spacey of sexual assaulting him when he was only fourteen years old. Rapp claims Spacey invited him to his apartment after illegally admitting him into an over twenty-one’s club. Rapp accuses Spacey of carrying him into a bedroom ‘like a groom carries his wife over the threshold’, and alleges that Spacey came in and tried to ‘seduce’ him and then ‘lay on top of [him]’. Rapp says seeing Spacey’s rise to fame was incredibly distressing after his ordeal and he told Buzzfeed news he felt obliged to come forward considering the Harvey Weinstein allegations.
Twitter- @albinokid
In response to these allegations Spacey said the alleged attack was likely the result of ‘deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour’. In an apology issued my Spacey, he pleads ‘I honestly don’t remember the encounter’. Spacey then, in the same post, uses the forum and attention his response receives to come out as a gay man.
‘I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man’ – Kevin Spacey (30th Oct 2017)
Zachary Quinto has addressed him on Instagram calling Spacey’s method of coming out as ‘deeply sad and troubling’.
[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]‘calculated manipulation’
Spacey’s sexuality has been in question in Hollywood tabloids for a long period of time so why has he only come out in response to these allegations? The is too much of a coincidence. Many like Quinto believe he is trying to cast a shadow over Rapp’s voice as it appears he is using being gay as past reasoning and a final attempt to distract and shift the focus away from Rapp’s voice. Resulting in him being distanced and free from suffering any consequences. Spacey appears to wrongly believe that identifying as gay eradicates his crime of sexually assaulting an innocent, vulnerable teenager.
Rapp’s story, like the voices of many victims has been incorrectly overshadowed by Spacey’s revelation, the fifty-eight-year-old actor refers to Rapp’s allegations as a ‘story’ insinuating he believes them to be false and not profound. Furthermore, he claims it has prompted him to self-reflect and deal with the allegations honestly, but by indicating that Rapp is simply telling a ‘story’ Spacey is being dismissive.
Quinto accuses Spacey of tainting the LGBTQ name and attempts to defer attention away from his crimes instead of using his success and high profile to draw attention to the issues the LGBTQ community faces. The 58-year old has not responded to Quinto’s cryptic Instagram post. It seems Spacey has obtained a get out of jail free card. He is reportedly in rehab ‘seeking the necessary help’, I firmly believe that if this was sincere he would have not chosen to be so public. He is trying to steal some of the limelight as he is ultimately an actor seeking more than his fifteen minutes of fame. This situation with Spacey mimics a similar recent Hollywood scandal where director Harvey Weinstein has avoided criminal charges, despite a plethora of women coming forwards regarding sexual abuse of all kinds.
Netflix have confirmed that in light of these allegations Spacey will no longer be a part of the hit web-series ‘House of Cards’.
Zahra Iqbal
(Image courtesay of Vox)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]