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James Blunt blasted by gay rights group

Written by . Published: February 01 2015

James Blunt has been criticized by gay rights campaigners for making a joke about male rape on Twitter.com.


The You're Beautiful hitmaker shared the front cover of New Statesman magazine, which featured an illustration of Blunt drinking with other "posh" public figures including Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne and British Prime Minister David Cameron to accompany an article about class and privilege.


Blunt then added a prison rape joke, writing, "I won't be picking up the soap when this party moves to the showers".


His quip has angered bosses at gay rights group Stonewall, and a spokesman tells Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, "Although James might have been joking, it's this sort of language that perpetuates negative stereotypes around gay men and gets deemed as acceptable as it becomes ingrained in society."


Earlier this month (Jan15), Blunt became embroiled in a class row with a British politician who claimed those from "posh" backgrounds have an easier job getting into the arts.

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