Tom Petty Assumed Gay by Violent Dad

By Christopher Mangum

TOM PETTY X390 (GETTY IMAGES) | ADVOCATE.COM

Tom Petty admits that his father physically and verbally abused him because he assumed the singer was gay.

"[My father] was scary and violent," Petty said in the new issue of Rolling Stone, according to website Spinner. "He beat the living hell out of me, and there was constant verbal abuse."

According to the music legend, his father assumed that Petty was gay because he was interested in the arts instead of baseball.

"Looking back on it, he probably was disappointed that I was so drawn to the arts. He probably thought I was gay,” added the “Free Falling” singer. "I wasn't interested in sports. I didn't know the names of any baseball players. I liked films and books and records."

Petty also admits to still having nightmares about his violent father.

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Name: Mike
Date posted: 12/1/2009 11:55:05 AM
Hometown: Philadelphia

Comment:
'they're straight or gay.' sorry
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Name: Mike
Date posted: 12/1/2009 11:52:40 AM
Hometown: Philadelphia

Comment:
I also remember that article about him visiting his family in Gainesville, FL. If my memory serves me right, he just happened to be there about the time that the community there was going to have their first or one of their first pride picnics. The local bigots decided that the community peacefully assembling was too much - and decided to protests this 'offense.' Tom Petty apparently read about this in the local press and decided to show up in support of the community. I always liked him and his music, but I was really moved that he took the time and effort and some heat to show support for us. I also remember a picture was published of him shaking hands with the picnic-goers. I lived for a couple years just north of Gainesville and I share this story a lot when his name or song or both pop up. it never fails to impress folks whether their straight or gay.
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Name: Robert Chandler
Date posted: 12/1/2009 4:01:45 AM
Hometown: West Hollywood

Comment:
I remember an article I read in the Advocate more than 10 years ago about Mr. Petty protesting the protestors at a Florida gay pride event. In other words, the guy is on our side. This is a 50-something, Southern-born rock-and-roller. It really moved me that he had the compassion to come out and support gay people. I love Mr. Petty's work. He's a tremendous songwriter, singer and performer. He was also great as the voice of Lucky on the animated "King of the Hill." But most of all, he's a loving, open-minded, compassionate man. He's someone I really admire.
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Name: Charles
Date posted: 12/1/2009 3:17:34 AM
Hometown: Austin, TX

Comment:
The story only seems half written. Why wasn't the story more fully developed? Why doesn't it contain more than just... my daddy beat me because he thought I was gay? I think articles like this would be better written if there was a larger statement to be made. But just the fact that he was percieved to be gay and was beaten and verbally abused... yeah, ok, so what? Who else in his life knew this was going on and remained silent? Why didn't other family members step up to help the abused child? Why wasn't it reported to the appropriate authorities and why wasn't he removed from his home as a child? How has he coped with this? How did he seek hellp for his problems as an adult survivor of this type of abuse? How has this affected his relationships? How has this affected his art? Why were no other questions posed by the author? Advocate, advocate, advocate, you need to work on the quality of the stories.
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Name: jrl
Date posted: 12/1/2009 12:33:30 AM
Hometown: encino

Comment:
Never understoot the stereotype by straight guys that gay men are not interested or good at sports when the opposite is actually the truth. Unfortunately, we never strong gay men on TV so I guess that is where it comes from. Sad, we have such a long way to go still. Yet, we can be soliders and fight. Strange how this stereotype of persists. Part of it is the fault of the gay community for putting up such an image at times.
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Name: Corey Ann
Date posted: 11/30/2009 9:59:18 PM
Hometown: Ft Worth

Comment:
A father like that is why it took me 29 years to show who I really am.

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