Dolce & Gabbana Founders Respond to ‘Synthetic’ Babies Controversy

When Dolce & Gabbana founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana criticized same-sex parenting and conceiving children via artificial insemination, it sparked a controversy last Sunday which they did not expect to be very strong. The statement drew scathing responses from celebrities, including Sir Elton John.

E! News reported that the singer-songwriter, who shared two sons via a surrogate with his husband, David Furnish, said in response, "Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions."

The singer reportedly took the issue to Instagram, demanding, "How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic?' And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF - a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbanaI shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana."

In a statement via The Guardian, Dolce said that while he grew up in a traditional family, it does not follow that he doesn't understand "different" ones. He said, "I was talking about my personal view, without judging other people's choices and decisions."

He also added, "I'm Sicilian and I grew up in a traditional family, made up of a mother, a father and children. I am very well aware of the fact that there are other types of families and they are as legitimate as the one I've known...But in my personal experience, family had a different configuration. That is the place where I learnt the values of love and family."

However, it seems that Dolce's statement came in too late as Time reported that the hashtag, BoycottDolceGabanna already began trending on Twitter, with celebrities like Ricky Martin and Courtney Love joining in the condemnation of the brand.

The remarks from the Italian brand is especially disconcerting considering that Dolce and Gabbana, according to BBC, are both gay and were a couple for 23 years until their breakup in 2005. They have already rejected same-sex marriage in the past, but in an interview with Panorama Magazine this weekend, they went on to say that they did not agree on the idea of gay families.

They told the magazine, "We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed." Gabbana also said, "I am opposed to the idea of a child growing up with two gay parents. A child needs a mother and a father. I could not imagine my childhood without my mother. I also believe that it is cruel to take a baby away from its mother."

What do you think about this latest conflict in gay rights?