‘Gotham’ Spoilers: Robin Lord Taylor Hits Back At ‘Homophobic’ Viewers Who Are Against Penguin’s Sexuality

“Gotham” Season 3 took a big leap when Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) developed romantic feelings for his chief of staff, Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith). But not everybody is happy with this development.

Some fans complained that the Fox show shouldn’t have messed with Penguin’s character, the same way they did with Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), Selina Kyle (Carmen Bicondova) and Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie).

For his part, Taylor does not appreciate these fans’ complaints. He said during the Rhode Island Comic Con that Penguin isn’t really gay, and he believes he is just a “very emotionally fractured person” and “emotionally vulnerable,” therefore turning to his closest friend for comfort and support.

People who are complaining about Penguin’s changes, according to Taylor, are making excuses for their homophobia. “What you're saying to me is, ‘I am homophobic, and I am afraid of gay people,’” said Taylor, according to Digital Spy. “That is exactly what you're saying.”

Earlier, Taylor told the Observer Culture that Penguin developing feelings for Nygma really hit close to home. A lot of the struggles faced by his character are quite personal to a “fat and gay [kid] and doing theater in Iowa.” “The fact that [Oswald] is having romantic feelings for another man…it still feels a little bit like coming out again,” he said.

“And granted, I don’t think Oswald is gay, per se. But the fact that he’s having romantic feelings for another man, however anyone wants to label that, it still feels a little bit like coming out again. Only on a much, much, much bigger scale,” he continued.

When he was younger, Taylor told Fuse he was bullied heavily, so he definitely understands how Penguin feels.

“Gotham” airs every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.