The newly appointed editor of Gay Times has been suspended for offensive tweets including racist comments towards Asians.
Daily Mail reports Josh Rivers was appointed as an editor for Gay Times on 27 October for his “keen eye for detail, well-honed leadership skills and the ability to execute”.
However, after uncovering a string of offensive tweets Rivers had sent between 2010 and 2015, the publication suspended their new editor.
Rivers’ tweets included offensive comments towards Jews, lesbians, straight women, Egyptians, Asians, Chinese, transgender people, obese people, mothers and bus drivers.
One tweet read: “Long day. How would I type that with Chinese accent? Wong way?”
In another tweet, Rivers wrote, “The creepiest gay men are short, old men with long nails. Fact.”
Other tweets included anti-semetic comments such as, “I wonder if they cast that guy as ‘The Jew’ because of that f****** ridiculously larger honker of a nose. It must be prosthetic. Must be.”
“Jews are gross,” he wrote in another tweet. “It’s the only religion with ‘ew’ in it. Just some Family Guy genius before festivities begin.”
In a statement, Gay Times said, “Josh Rivers’ past tweets do not align with the values of Gay Times, or any of our employees, in any capacity.”
The publication confirmed they had suspended Rivers. “Josh has been suspended with immediate effect while we investigate the facts. Appropriate action will be taken in due course.”
Rivers has since posted an apology on Twitter: “To every single person who is hurt, offended and disappointed: I’m sorry. I have long taken steps to address the issues that prevented me from treating people with the respect and kindness I value so dearly now.”
“It is because of my past and my own awakening that I’ve since pivoted everything in my life towards supporting and empowering our community.”
“It is upsetting that the damage I caused before has now resurfaced to cause more pain. I hope we can use this as an opportunity for growth, for healing, for moving forward. As evidenced by my own example, there is so much work to do.”
To every single person who is hurt, offended and disappointed: I’m sorry. pic.twitter.com/XAwz7llKxc
— Josh Rivers (@_joshrivers) November 15, 2017
