Sir Elton John attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th annual An Enduring Vision Benefit in New York October 28, 2014.
IN PHOTO: Elton John is calling for a boycott of luxurious fashion brand Dolce and Gabbana after the Italian designers described children born through IVF as synthetic. Even though the Italian designers themselves are gay, they struggled with the ideas of same-sex marriage as well as same-sex parenting. IN PHOTO: Sir Elton John attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th annual An Enduring Vision Benefit in New York October 28, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Even though many supported Elton John’s call for boycott of Dolce and Gabbana’s products, many also defended the designers for only stating their personal views. Italian politicians even lauded the designers for their courageous statements, calling John “a gay Taliban” in the process.

Daily Star UK reports that conservative senator Roberto Formigoni claims that John is a “gay Taliban” for wanting the world to boycott Dolce and Gabbana’s business just because their personal convictions on gay parenting and IVF babies do not mirror John’s. Formigoni said it is John that is oppressive and not the designers, and therefore should not be tolerated. “I’m with Dolce and Gabbana and I applaud their courageous statement -- this is freedom of expression,” he said. “Elton John is a Taliban, he is using against Dolce and Gabbana the same methods used by the Taliban against Charlie Hebdo,” he added.

Formigoni’s fellow politician Carlo Giovanardi added to the criticisms targeted at John. He called John an “intolerant person.”

The politicians are not the only ones rallying behind the designers. Some believe that while IVF babies and gay parenting are as normal as they can be, John should not have expressed his anger or disagreement with the designers’ views by calling for a boycott. There were those who believe that he is the intolerant one by dragging the duo’s business and livelihood into the debate on gay parenting and babies born from the IVF process. The boycott can also affect those employed by the company.

According to an article in Telegraph UK, written by Graeme Archer, also shared that the issue should not be treated as black and white, good versus evil. The author claimed that while it is understandable while John would throw a fit over the designers’ claims, being a wonderful father to his two IVF children, it is perfectly reasonable for some not to want babies from IVF and therefore, they should not be labeled homophobic. For the author in particular, in a “resource-limited world with too many children in care,” it makes more sense or people, gay or straight, to adopt already “breathing, living children,” with parenting needs than make new ones.

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