‘I don’t even know what that word means’ says South Carolina mayor who used antigay slur at meeting

A South Carolina mayor is facing widespread criticism after an inflammatory exchange during a city council meeting Tuesday night in which he repeated an antigay slur and made comments many have called inappropriate and unprofessional. The exchange, captured on video, has drawn criticism over Boyd’s conduct.

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The incident happened when a resident, identified as Calvin, used the public comment portion of the meeting to accuse Darlington Mayor Curtis Boyd of violating state law by living outside city limits, a requirement for holding political office, CBS affiliate WBTW reports. Calvin challenged the mayor’s residency and called for an investigation.

Boyd, who was elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023, responded with an offbeat and unexpected invitation. “You’re welcome to leave with me tonight, and if you want, you can sleep in my bed butt naked with me,” he said.

The comment drew laughter from the audience, but Calvin replied, “I’m not gay,” before using an antigay slur. Boyd echoed the slur in his response, saying, “I’m not [that], either.”

In the days following the exchange, Boyd defended his remarks, telling local media outlets that he didn’t intend to be offensive and repeated the slur only to mirror Calvin’s words. In a phone interview with WBTW, Boyd tried to downplay his slur use by citing an archaic definition.

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“The F word… that you are referring to means a bundle of sticks,” Boyd said. “And he said he was not that; I said I’m not that either. Whatever it is, I looked it up, and it means a bundle of sticks. If you look at the dictionary.”

Boyd later told ABC affiliate WPDE that he didn’t even fully understand the meaning of the slur. “I just responded back to what he said. I don’t even know what that word means.”

Councilwoman Elaine Reed criticized Boyd’s remarks, saying he should have addressed Calvin’s accusations and avoided personal comments. “He just should have simply given the facts,” Reed told WBTW. “There shouldn’t have been any other comment.”

On Thursday, Boyd issued an apology to those he may have upset.

“I could have probably said something nicer, or different, or in a nicer way. I could have just let him sit down from the beginning," he told local news station WMBF.

He added: "I could have done a lot of things differently. But, I’m not-- I haven’t done anything wrong, or said anything wrong to him.”

Boyd maintained he didn't use the word as a slur, but that he apologizes to those he offended. He added that he felt the situation had been blown out of proportion.