James May calls Pride flags ‘oppressive’ and the LGBTQ+ community is quite rightly livid-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

James May sparked fierce backlash for his comments about Pride bunting (Picture: Getty/ SOPA Images)

Former Top Gear star James May took to social media to label Pride flag bunting ‘authoritative’ and ‘oppressive’.

Pride month takes place annually in June with Progress Pride rainbow flags decorating central London including Regent Street as members of the LGBTQ+ community proudly celebrate their identity and culture.

However, as the fight for LGBTQ+ rights continues, not everyone is happy with the loud and proud representation of the queer community scattered across the capital.

This includes The Grand Tour presenter James who went on X to grumble about the bunting despite ‘admiring’ the movement his whole life. He then went on to make a bizarre parallel with the start World War Two which had alarming implications.

He wrote: ‘Pride: while I have observed and admired what you have achieved over my lifetime, may I respectfully suggest that you are borderline guilty of Too Much Bunting (TMB).

‘It may be seen as authoritarian, and therefore oppressive. Please remember that some terrible things, with which you would not wish to be allied, began with TMB. World War Two, for example.’

‘Nice flag, though,’ he added. The Progress Pride flag includes coloured stripes to represent the trans community, margianalised people of colour and those living with HIV/AIDs.

His caption was paired with an old photo of the rainbow-themed bunting. But when fans in the comments criticised the 61-year-old TV personality he was quick to defend himself.

‘Respectfully, comparing the LGBT community to Nazis is very offensive. Very disappointed, James,’ @Mythor wrote, to which James responded: ‘I haven’t done that, though, have I?’. Elsewhere in the comments then doubled down on his denial of this parallel.

While @listerlawrence added: ‘I hope you’re not insinuating that somehow the LGBTQ+ community is somehow in danger of starting WW3 because of some rainbow flags James?’.

‘I’m not, no. Stand down,’ James replied.

The 61-year-old presenter defended himself in the comments (Picture: Wirelmage)

Although some praised the Oh Cook! presenter, with user @serena_patrick saying: ‘Definitely TMB’.

Another user @alanwilkinsonNZ wrote: ‘Why on earth is anyone proud of their sexuality? Be proud of being a good person, achieving something worthwhile and making the world a better place rather.

‘Plastering your flag all over the road doesn’t do that. It’s just overbearing or embarrassing.’

But many shared their outrage at James’ remarks.

‘It’s ignorant of James to suggest that our visibility & protest oppresses anyone, especially white cishet people who have never experienced oppression,’ @ThomasWillett9 posted.

‘It’s always nice when straight people try to ‘respectfully’ police our visibility during Pride month. How many flags are we allowed to have? How many is ‘too many’?’ @waynedavid81 questioned.

This is not the first time the TV host has been called out for his questionable comments towards the LGBTQ+ community.

In 2021 singer Will Young hit out against James and his fellow Grand Tour presenters Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson for making jokes about a certain vehicle on the show being a ‘gay man’s car’.

At the time he called it a ‘‘sad, shaming and bigoted’ segment.

The Grand Tour presenters had to battle accusations of homophobia previously (Picture: PA)

Richard denied the claims by saying ‘we’re not remotely homophobic’.

James added: ‘I hope we’re always careful about the jokes we make because we’re not actually trying to alienate people or offend people. 

‘We make fun of people, but that’s not quite the same thing, and we try to be inclusive in that everybody is equally open for mockery and division, mainly ourselves, let’s be honest.

James went on to say: ‘I’m not aware that we made any crass, homophobic jokes or comments. I hope we didn’t.’

The Grand Tour is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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