Bar Owner Apologizes And Claims He's 'Not Homophobic' After Receiving Backlash For Saying Gay People Spread The Virus

The current worldwide pandemic is really shining a light on people's ugliest true colors.

Leo Molloy, a restaurateur from New Zealand, showed his after saying gay people "spread the virus" and heterosexual bar-goers weren't susceptible.

His apology leaves something to be desired.

Molloy's self-defined "staunch and robust, or even lacerating" speech has followed him around for quite awhile:

But Molloy, who owns Auckland's "HeadQuarters" bar, has denied vehemently that he is homophobic.

"I understand I can be acidic in the way I talk, but I am not homophobic," he told Stuff.

"We have always supported the rainbow community, spiritually and in business, so I struggle with that comment—if anything, I'm homophiliac."

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When talking about why he believed his bar was safe to go to during the outbreak, Molloy said:

"We're not talking about a subterranean gay bar on K road where people swap DNA in the middle of the night and other materials."

"I have work to do to make it up," Molloy said, adding to expressthat he would probably extend a 30 percent discount to LGBTQ+ bar-goers.

But his apology is still lacking.

"I express myself, and there are members of the media that have an agenda to do me harm, I can understand that because I don't pull punches — the difference is I don't hold grudges, I move on."

Molloy's "apology" rings empty for many in the LGBTQ+ community.

This virus, which has already inspired racism and xenophobia across the globe, cannot be allowed to give voice to bigots. We all have work to do.

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