Ryan Laplante Faces Homophobic Attack on Twitter!

Ryan ‘Protential’ Laplante came under attack this week on Twitter, the openly-gay poker pro on the receiving end of a series of homophobic slurs and epithets from fellow poker player Jesse McVicker, followed up by threats of violence against those who came to Laplante’s defence…

The disgusting comments arose after Laplante innocently tweeted his support for Pride Month, the celebration which seeks to ‘recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world’…

McVicker was quickly pulled up for his tweet, with Boston pro Tim Reilly among those unhappy with McVicker’s comment…

…but this only served to launch McVicker into full-retard homophobic mode, variously describing his detractors as ‘homos’, ‘tranny-looking punk’ and ‘fag’, adding somehow that…

Earl Burton over at PokerNewsDaily was first to bring the horrible attack to the poker-playing public’s attention, quoting several more of McVicker’s tweets, exposing tweets such as:

“Like for the laplante fag?...But he’s still gay and you’re still defending a fag on Twitter MAGA,” as well as “This gay liberal trying to blast one of the best poker players ever. Like kill yourself”.

It wasn’t only homophobic slurs aimed at a fellow player, McVicker threatening violence against Reilly and others, one responding…

Laplante himself has been full of gratitude for those in the poker community who have defended and supported him, telling Burton:

“People have been very vocal against his hateful speech” and adding that the way to fight such attacks against the LGBT community is to, “Be out. Be proud. And be a vocal supporter of all rights and equality. Actively speak out against hate and bigotry.”

McVicker attempted to defend himself afterwards, telling Burton:

“In no way do I hate or oppose homosexual activities or lifestyles…I was definitely in the wrong with my comments”, but claiming “I got attacked for a misunderstanding and I attacked back in a way I knew would hurt people’s feelings,”  but his words had a very hollow ring to them after the repeated slurs and threats.