Ezra Klein Responds to Critics of His Hiring Writer Accused of ‘Homophobia Apologism’
In the essay, Ambrosino defended his alma matter, his teachers, and his classmates, and noted that he did not encounter much of the homophobia expected. “Klein’s new venture – announced to considerable fanfare in January – will provide Ambrosino a formidable platform as the go-to gay writer for anti-gay conservatives seeking to legitimize their homophobia,” Media Matters for America Luke Brinker wrote.
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Klein responded to the criticism stemming from his decision to hire Ambrosino on Facebook. He said he recognized that the hire signaled to some in the LGBT community that Vox would traffic in “Contrarian clickbait at the expense of the struggle and discrimination that LGBT men and women face every day.”
“That was never our intention,” Klein continued. “Brandon isn’t our LGBT correspondent. He’s not even the only LGBT employee of Vox.com. He is a young writer who we think has talent who’s going to receive a lot of editing and a lot of guidance.”
Klein added that young, struggling writers are often tasked with writing “reams of their most controversial opinions” before they can write substantive pieces or even perform “basic reporting.” Klein added that he continues to be impressed by Ambrosino’s talent and he urged his audience to “give Brandon a chance.”
[Photo via Facebook]
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