Remember Big Brother 15’s Aaryn Gries? You know, the sweet Texas girl who ended up becoming the face of racism on the show in 2013? She has been working really hard ever since to revise the public’s impression of her as an allegedly racist and homophobic redneck, based on the nasty remarks she made during her time on Big Brother. This week, however, she may have taken a slight misstep…
“I know I said mean things,” Aaryn said, according to TMZ.com, “but at least I’m not ignorant enough to think that homosexuality is treatable. Seeing homosexuality as a disease is outdated.”
Of course, we have to take this grain of wisdom from a girl who was guilty of making her own gay slurs on Big Brother 15 against fellow Housemate, and eventual BB15 winner, Andy Herron. Not to mention the whole insane racism controversy she found herself deeply embroiled in over some of the extremely nasty things she said to, and about, other cast mates on the show.
Maybe Aaryn really is trying to turn over a new leaf and now wants to be a champion for victims of racism and homophobia. That would be a great thing. Maybe, however, it would best be done in private, one on one, or in support of an activism organization like the ACLU or GLAAD. Otherwise it just kind of looks like a cry for attention, and a lame duck attempt to overcome one’s own tarnished reputation.