The lesbian who stared in last week’s blasphemous mockery of “The Last Supper” might have reveled in the global attention the stunt received.
But the ongoing backlash from the blatant insult to countless Christians around the globe might have been more than she bargained for.
On Monday, the attorney for activist Barbara Butch announced on Instagram that Butch (her real last name apparently) has been the subject of threats she could be raped, tortured and killed and that she has been subjected to anti-Semitic slurs (she’s from a Jewish family).
She’s also been on the receiving end of the usual “sexist” and “homophobic” slurs, as well as “grossophobic” attacks.
Are you watching the Olympics?
(Those unfamiliar with the term “grossophobic” might recall from Friday’s Olympics Opening Ceremony that Butch is what might be politely called “plus-sized.” She’s also an activist for the acceptance of obesity. The meaning of “grossophobic” is pretty clear in that context.)
“Since the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, artist, DJ and activist Barbara Butch has been the target of an extremely violent campaign of cyber-harassment and defamation,” the Instagram post said.
“She is today filing several complaints against these acts, whether committed by French nationals or foreigners, and intends to prosecute anyone who tries to intimidate her in the future.”
The irony of going before a global audience to mock the faith of billions, then complaining about the negative attention that followed is apparently beyond the grasp of French lesbian fat activists and their attorneys.
But judging by some reactions to the news on social media, Butch’s legal offensive is not having exactly the intimidating effect that was no doubt intended.
Barbara Butch is suing everyone who was rude!
That’s half of Twitter. pic.twitter.com/Gz5PFC29uF
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) July 30, 2024
Barbara Butch is going to sue anyone who’s been mean to her after the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
Sweetheart, that will be all the people in Christendom and most of X. pic.twitter.com/vgqugLRsKw— Resistance Kiwi (@ResistanceKiwi) July 30, 2024
Barbara Butch, one of the stars of the Olympic opening ceremony has called in the lawyers after claiming she has received online harassment. She also alluded to the ceremony depicting Greek mythology and not the Last Supper. This is despite labeling the performance the ‘new gay… pic.twitter.com/a1B9K0lWma
— IreneBritUSA (@irenebritusa) July 30, 2024
It’s unclear at this early stage what course Butch’s legal actions might take, or what their impact will be. Not every country is blessed with a First Amendment that guarantees freedom of speech.
But already it’s clear that the Olympics organizers have been hit with a response to the Opening Ceremony that has almost overshadowed the games themselves.
Obviously, the Christian religion doesn’t encourage, or even tolerate, threats of torture, rape and murder, so it’s fair to say anyone making threats of violence against Butch or anyone else is dishonoring rather than protecting the faith.
(There’s at least one other major world religion whose followers have a well-founded reputation for taking a more permissive line on raping and murdering their enemies, but it tends not to get mocked nearly as much as Christianity, for some reason.)
But it’s just as obvious that Barbara Butch and Co. got far more than they bargained for.
