Sean Penn is voicing his outdated views on gender, again. Yes, again. It seems Mickey Rourke was right back in 2008, Penn is homophobic. Penn, a straight man, who won an Academy Award for playing a gay man who was assassinated for his participation in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, has doubled down on his belief that men have become “wildly feminized” in American culture. Hollywood’s stars and celebrities have started to respond, with Westworld’s Thandiwe Newton taking a stand on social media against the actor/filmmaker for his comments about men becoming too feminized, calling him a “fool” and “tragic.”

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Penn is a two-time Academy Award winner, first winning in 2004 for Mystic River. Then, the actor won an Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in 2008’s Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, an American biographical film based on the gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to office in California. Only 10 months after he was sworn in, Milk was assassinated by a disgruntled employee.

Penn’s casting as the gay historical figure was always controversial in the LGBTQ+ community – not only because Penn’s a straight actor, but also because rumors have long swirled he’s abusive – however, the actor’s recent transphobic comments show how little he learned from portraying Harvey Milk.

Sean Penn Believes Men Are “Wildly Feminized”

     Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures

Penn has been promoting Flag Day like a grumpy old man with outdated beliefs. Earlier this month, the actor generated buzz when he told a British newspaper he was frustrated with the world:

When asked by The Independent, in an interview alongside his daughter, Dylan Penn, to promote their new film Flag Day, based on Jennifer Vogel’s 2004 memoir about her on-off relationship with her father, a bank robber and conman, to clarify his previous comments to the British outlet, Penn double downed, saying there’s a “cowardly gene” that leads men to wear skirts. He said:

I am in the club that believes that men in American culture have become wildly feminized. I don’t think that being a brute or having insensitivity or disrespect for women is anything to do with masculinity, or ever did. But I don’t think that [in order] to be fair to women, we should become them.

The Independent made note that Penn’s comments on men becoming “quite feminized” left his daughter “quiet, staring into space.”

I think that men have, in my view, become quite feminized. I have these very strong women in my life who do not take masculinity as a sign of oppression toward them. There are a lot of, I think, cowardly genes that lead to people surrendering their jeans and putting on a skirt.

Thandiwe Newton Calls Sean Penn ‘Tragic’

Hollywood’s celebrities are beginning to chime in on Penn’s comments. Newton took a stand against Penn after the actor first made headlines. Upon learning of Penn’s comments, the actress took to social media to criticize Penn for his latest comments about modern gender roles.

On Sunday, Newton shared the Variety report about Penn’s recent interview with The Independent. In her tweet, the 49-year-old Emmy Award winner criticized Penn’s comments, writing, “.⁦@SeanPenn🤣🤣🤣Dude what are you SAY-ING?? Like for REAL? You’re a jibbering FOOL. MF you used to be sexy but now you’re just tragic😤Men for Becoming ‘Feminized’ - Variety”

In a follow-up tweet, Newton added, “​In front of your DAUGHTER!? That poor little mite. Thank God her Mum’s so dope. Please stop ruining the brilliance of #LicoricePizza with this nonsense.”