‘Charmed’s McGowan holds ‘gay-in’ at Brunei-owned hotel
By Sam Rigby
Charmed
star Rose McGowan voiced her support for the gay community by holding a ‘gay-in’ cocktail party at the Beverly Hills Hotel last week.
The Los Angeles hotel, and other hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, have been boycotted by a number of high profile stars, including Kim Kardashian and Ellen DeGeneres, in recent weeks.
In April, Hassanal Bolkiah made anal sex punishable with death by stoning, alongside other offences like rape, adultery, extramarital sexual relations for Muslims.
McGowan gathered a group of her friends, including actors, producers and fashion designers, to a cocktail party at the hotel. She explained that the boycott is highly unlikely to change the Sultan’s mind on issues around homosexuality and women, and will only hurt hotel staff.
In email sent out before the event, McGowan wrote: “I want to assemble a group of men and women (and hopefully some adulteresses,) that would be stoned in Brunei but that will be welcome at the BH.”
She told The Huffington Post: “Trust me – the person who’s suffering right now is not the sultan. It’s my friend Ruth, who’s been working in the diner downstairs for years, and can barely pay her rent.”
The hotel management agreed to pick up the bill for McGowan’s event, so the Sultan of Brunei doesn’t benefit from the party.
The 40-year-old said that she hopes the event will show the Sultan of Brunei that “gays are real people”.
“I think that’s the only thing that would change his mind – not a boycott,” she added.
> Anna Wintour boycotts Paris hotel over Brunei anti-gay laws
> Crowe criticises Brunei hotel boycott: ‘It only hurts the staff’
> Jay Leno joins LGBT protest against Sultan of Brunei