Taika Waititi comes under fire for resurfaced anti-trans tweets

Marvel director Taika Waititi has come under fire for resurfaced anti-trans tweets and for dead-naming Caitlyn Jenner after branding himself a ‘gay icon.’

His name began trending on Twitter this week after it was revealed he and singer Rita Ora had got married, but for all the wrong reasons. 

Unearthed tweets from almost a decade ago, drew criticism for shaming trans women and beauty pageant contestants. 

Mistake: Deadnaming is when someone refers to a transgender or non-binary person by a name they used prior to transitioning, such as their birth name – (pictured Caitlyn Jenner)

A tweet from January 16, 2013 reads: ‘No disrespect to men who want to be/dress as women. I should have just said their makeup looks manly. Also no disrespect to meth users.’

The ‘meth user’ remark followed an earlier rant in which he criticised beauty pageant contestants, writing: ‘Combining heels and bikini whilst plastering your face in orange so you resemble a leather pudding is totes empowering.’

He was called out at the time, when a fellow Twitter user @carocreature, wrote: ‘Slut-shaming, transphobia, and immense misogyny all in one tweet.  But dude, not cool.’

Taika wrote back: ‘No it is cool.’

Historic: Taika has been criticised for a trans-phobic tweet from January 16, 2013

It’s not cool: He was called out by a fellow Twitter user which led to an argumentative exchange

Caro wrote: ‘No, Taika, it’s not cool. You need to apologise. My trans* friends who struggle with suicide daily due to similar comments hardly think so.’  

Taika responds: ‘My trans friends can walk in heels. but you’re right, actual kathoey are better looking.’

‘Kathoey’ is a word used for trans women in Thailand..

A tweet from April 2015 deadnamed Caitlyn Jenner days after she came out as a trans woman.

Deadnaming is when someone refers to a transgender or non-binary person by a name they used prior to transitioning, such as their birth name. 

Taika wrote: ‘We’ll all be wearing #JeSuis[Caitlyn]Jenner badges by Monday.’

The posts might not reflect Taika’s current way of thinking and MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for him for comment. 

Viral: Taika’s name has been trending after he married singer Rita Ora, but for all the wrong reasons (pictured in March together) 

Taika is now known for his LGBTQ+ storytelling both in Thor: Love And Thunder and HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.

And speaking about his reasons for this, he told Out in July: ‘We’re all queer. Just to varying degrees of where we are on the [sexuality] spectrum I think. I think, innately, humans have all got some degree of queerness in them.’

Now considered by some as a gay icon, he said: ‘I love it. I mean, I’m just amazed to hear what my friends think of me. I’ll be like, “Hey guys, you’re looking at a little gay icon over here,” and it feels really amazing.’

In Thor, Taika voices a gay character called Korg. 

Fans had questioned how Korg’s all-male species in could be gay because the storyline doesn’t seem to match up with his family background in a past movie. 

In the fourth movie, Korg has two dads  but in 2017 film, Thor Ragnarok, his mother is mentioned.

Then later in the film. Korg was seen being happily paired with a male character whom he shares a baby Kronan with – confirming his character is gay.   

Moving forward: In Thor, Taika voices a gay character called Korg – he also directs the movie and later called himself a ‘gay icon’ saying ‘we’re all queer’

Thor: Love And Thunder tells the story of how Thor enlists the help of Valkyrie, Korg and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster to fight Gorr the God Butcher, who intends to make the gods extinct. 

The latest film includes a scene with Korg (voiced by Taika), who explained to Valkyrie, (Tessa Thompson)  that baby Kronans are created via a special ‘handshake’, having revealed that he was raised by two fathers, too. 

And while it is possible to consider more than two people to be biological parents, fans took to Twiitter to say they wanted clarification on Korg’s back story. 

Discoveries: Fans also noticed that Tessa Thompson’s character Valkyrie, (left) also appears to be gay 

They wrote: ‘I can’t be the only one that is confused by Korg’s species being gay because Korg says in Ragnorak that he got kicked out of his Mom and bfs house and then proceeds to talk about his dads.#ThorLoverAndThunder.’

‘The only gay thing about it tbh was Val kissing that women’s hand, and that whole Korg thing about his species all being male, how come in Thor Ragnarok he says he has sisters n a mum.’ [sic].

‘This is the second Marvel movie i have not gone to the movies for. Korg said he had a mom and dad in Ragnorok. Now i hear his race are a bunch of males giving birth. What? Why does everyone have to be gay? Done with Marvel.’

Clarification please: Fans were confused that Korg now has two dads when in a previous movie, his mother was mentioned 

‘Thor was interesting. I didn’t understand making Korg gay but whatever. Cool movie thru and thru.’

Despite the confusion, lots of people took to social media to say they loved the fact that Korg is gay. 

They also noted subtle hints that Val appeared to be a gay character too. 

They wrote: ‘Taika Waititi is stellar. Scary cool villain, cute tone, solid warm heart, gay Korg, and a lovely ending.

About time: Lots of people praised the movie for conforming the sexuality of the fan favourite 

‘Not groundbreaking, wasted potential with the God city, formulaic, but still in the upper echelons of Marvel films. P good!

‘So I watched the new Thor. I have to say I appreciate the representation. Valkyrie being gay makes my heart swoon. 

‘Axel is best boy and anyone who says his dead name gets the pill box. Congratulations Korg on his lovely marriage with his husband: Dwayne. Brilliant.’

Icons: Tessa Thompson, Taika and Natalie Portman attend the UK Gala screening of Thor: Love and Thunder on July 5, 2022 in London