Peter Brant II Addresses Kissing Photos: 'I Am Openly Gay'

Stephanie Seymour's son 17-year-old Peter Brant II has spoken out about the kissy-kissy photos of himself and his mother on the on the beach in St. Barths that surfaced last week. Check out the photos here.

Brant posted to his Facebook:

Now about this whole Beach kiss scandal I would just like to say it has been taken completely out of context and I dont appreciate speculation on my personal relationship with my mother and any other uninhibited opinions.

He also wrote to Gawker:

I would just like to say that these pictures have been taken completely out of context, my mother and i are very close as she is with all her children. she often hugs and kisses me and my siblings in an manner that is intimate, any mother in the world does the same. that day on the beach we walked around with each other completely aware of the presence of photographers there. We have nothing to hide and with that in mind I would like to say that I am openly gay. At my age my mother and I are almost like friends and I feel open to talk to her about anything (and yes our relationship may be different because of my sexuality).

And that's all, folks. For more on Brant, check out his dapper duds.

Comments

[getreal23]

09:44 AM on 01/14/2011

Why did she chose to kiss him on the beach? weren't they together before why the kiss if they are not lovers? It looks really sick. I have a 17 year old son and he would not be kissing me like that.

[Matthew Young]

11:53 AM on 01/13/2011

"Dude, the other day, I was with Stephanie Seymour, and she was wearing this little bikini? I totally got to second base." "Seymour? Isn't that your mom?" "So what?! Have you SEEN the 2007 SI swimsuit issue?" "Yea...but...aren't you openly gay?" "Oh please; nobody's THAT gay!"

[sadie and boo]

09:27 AM on 01/13/2011

All this fuss could have been avoided if some creepy paparazzo hadn't been hiding in the bushes.

[JhNyc]

10:25 PM on 01/12/2011

Photos freeze split-seconds in time, which can appear to be other than they were in real time.

[sadie and boo]

09:20 AM on 01/13/2011

Yes, excellent point.

[PaddockGirl]

11:49 AM on 01/13/2011

Indeed, a perfect example is the controversial photo (for those of you that follow football) of Ibrahimovich and his teammate Pique, which made them look like they were having a very homoerotic moment together.

[eepah]

01:54 PM on 01/12/2011

Shame, shame, shame on ANYONE for inferring a sweet kiss between a boy and his mother is anything more than innocent affection. It only reflects the perversion of those who made the inference, and the complete Victorian-esque standards we Americans need to GET OVER. Stigmatizing affection as wholly impure is obviously causing us some problems with intimacy in our society.

[Redemption Song II]

01:47 PM on 01/12/2011

There are actually a series of photos of which, together, might be less uncomfortable for some. (It was a family outing.) I do think that if it had been a father and daughter in these photographs instead that most who are giving it a pass might pause...in any event, here are the others:

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/RuPlLB39F5G/Stephanie+Seymour+Kids+Beach+St+Barts/uS6OmLMBYfp/Peter+Brant+Jr.

(As for me, I'm very physical and warm, and I have a son with whom I'm physical and warm, but I would never be physical with him in that way clad in a weeny bikini or my undies. But that's me.)

[Balzac]

01:14 PM on 01/12/2011

It's a touchy subject, but he's not fooling anybody about his feelings for his mother. He can run away from it by claiming he's gay, but there's no denying her charms to which he is apparently not immune.

[ammsamm]

12:21 PM on 01/12/2011

What does his being gay have to do with anything in these photos?

[Redemption Song II]

01:48 PM on 01/12/2011

Not much. (The implication is that since he's not attracted to the opposite sex and his mom isn't the same sex, then he could not be attracted to his mom. At least I think that's where he was goin'. :o)

[ammsamm]

03:30 PM on 01/12/2011

That is soooo creepy. Even if he was heterosexual, would that have implied he was attracted to his own mother!!!!!

[MichaelangeloTheSinger]

09:23 AM on 01/13/2011

You should be more upset that people find a loving family too affectionate in public.
The kid is a minor, and he has more brains than you homophobes.

[DeePDX]

11:45 AM on 01/12/2011

Those pictures look like they were taken by a high speed camera that made it appear those two were wrapped up in each other's arms longer than they probably were. And also, this mother and son were probably "hamming it up" in the presence of the photograph­ers intruding upon their privacy. Why are people judging the affections shown between mother and child so harshly?

It's the perversity of the public mind that has made this something to be ashamed of.

[CHMB]

11:20 AM on 01/12/2011

I can appreciate that a parent and their kid are close, but this is a little too creepy for me.

[robjh1]

10:04 AM on 01/12/2011

First pictures of him being dapper and now kissy kissy pictures and his sexuality. He is 17 and deserves privacy. Move on...

[RoughCollie]

09:34 AM on 01/12/2011

Mon dieu!! What is the big deal?? I can only feel such sadness for those who condemn physical affection..maybe, they are simply projecting their own oedipal fantasies because the mother is so beautiful? Would they be objecting so strongly if she was unattractive or obese? If my 17 year old would let me I would still be hugging and kissing her like this because she is, in my mind, my baby and I adored hugging and kissing her...but, (sigh), now she has a boyfriend so in her mind she thinks she is too "mature" for her mama's hugs and kisses. I envy this healthy and loving relationship..in my next life I will put in an order for a gay son (or two).

[rabit818]

09:33 AM on 01/12/2011

He is a gay, check. Mom is OK with it, check. What is the big deal? The kiss?

[Anpan]

09:30 AM on 01/12/2011

Gorgeous kid and so well-spoken. I thought the photos were irrelevant. I have a teenager and we're quite close--the idea that either of us perceives the other as sexual is (as biology intends it to be) a non-starter. Americans' relentless sexualizing of EVERYTHING is denying their children healthy contact. It's no wonder so many seek out intimate relationships early in their teens. Teens still need physical closeness to their parents.

My kid came over for a cuddle the other day while we were watching TV and cracked up laughing with, "OMG, I grabbed your boob! Sorry!" Of course, I pointed out, "Enh, you've done worse to it, you horrible child." Giggling ensued on Kiddo's part and no harm done. I didn't notice until she pointed it out. My body, as it relates to my child, is nothing more than a pillow, security blanket, comfort object--it's NOT sexual.

Some children are physical and affectionate. Mine's favourite thing ever is to manage to sit on BOTH her father and I, and she's been that way since she was born. She has to be touching *everyone* in order to be happy. She's also very smoochy when she's in a good mood. That's just how some kids are--and it's absolutely appropriate. I think my child's close, comfortable relationship with everyone in her family is part and parcel of the fact that she doesn't feel the need to date and she has been successful at resisting peer pressure.

[bart4u]

07:04 AM on 01/12/2011

Why are people defending this. Would they kiss their mom like this. I don't think so.

[Rozanna]

07:40 AM on 01/12/2011

I think it is strange. What if it were a father and daughter? I think people would have a different opinion.

[Redemption Song II]

01:40 PM on 01/12/2011

No doubt.

[DeePDX]

11:24 AM on 01/12/2011

Those pictures look like they were taken by a high speed camera that made it appear those two were wrapped up in each other's arms longer than they probably were. And also, this mother and son were probably "hamming it up" in the presence of the photographers intruding upon their privacy. The question you should ask, in my opinion, is why are people judging the affections shown between mother and child so harshly?

It's the perversity of the public mind that has made this something to be ashamed of.