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Sir Elton John has been hit by a backlash after saying his sons are “real boys” and “normal” because they fancy girls and like sport.
The music legend, 72, who has Zachary, eight, and Elijah, six, has been described as “the world’s most famous gay dad” and an icon for many in the LGBT community.
Speaking about his lads, he said: “My boys are so boyish. They are real boys. They’re flirts - girl mad.
“They said, ‘There was a new girl in class today and she really fancies me’ and I said, ‘That’s great!’
“They’re real boys and they’re just very athletic, normal kids.”
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who has campaigned for gay rights, said that he was “very surprised” by Elton’s comments.
He added: “I never thought I would hear Elton John use the word ‘normal’ in a stereotypical way.
“There are thousands of ways of being a boy and you don’t have to like football, you don’t have to like girls – you can be Billy Elliot or Elton John.
“He built his career on being alternative. It sounds like he has gone through a time warp. It’s very 1950s.
“It’s moments like this you miss George Michael... maybe Elton misses him too.”
Multi-millionaire Elton has been open about his own childhood, trying to deal with his Army dad’s reaction to his sexuality and love for music.
He wrote the music for the 2005 theatre version of Billy Elliot, saying he had been moved to tears by the film.
Its theme of a father failing to understand his son’s artistic dreams mirrored his own life, Elton said.
At the time, he said: “I had a difficult relationship with my father which got sorted out in the end.”
But Elton’s husband, David Furnish, 56, said the hurt went much deeper.
He explained: “Billy’s dad eventually supports him in a way Elton’s dad never did. There was a lot of tension, a lot of friction.”
Elton is on his final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which has 23 shows in the UK and Ireland.
