Jeremy Bieber, the father of Justin Bieber, sparked controversy during Pride Month by spreading bigotry on Twitter. He shared a homophobic meme featuring a rainbow flag along with a sarcastic caption, “Don’t forget to thank a straight person this month for your existence.”
Although the post has been deleted, it came just two days after Jeremy tweeted about the importance of celebrating families and expressed his disbelief at the things the current generation glorifies.
While Justin, the 29-year-old pop star, has not addressed his father’s anti-LGBTQIA+ posts, social media users have criticized Jeremy for his views. Some users dismissed Jeremy’s significance and questioned his involvement in Justin’s life, contrasting it with the presence of Justin’s mother, Pattie Mallette, during his early years. Others sarcastically suggested that Jeremy should be grateful to his son for financial support.
Despite the ups and downs in their relationship, Justin has continued to support Jeremy’s expanding family, which includes half-siblings from different mothers. Justin often shares birthday tributes and photos with his younger siblings, Jazmyn, Jaxon, and Bay.
While Justin has not explicitly expressed support for the queer community, he did comment on homosexuality in a 2011 Rolling Stone interview, stating that it is an individual’s decision and should not affect others. However, it is important to note that sexual orientation is not a choice, contrary to Justin’s remark at the time.