Kevin Spacey slammed for timing of coming out as gay

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Spacey's statement of regret after being accused of trying to seduce former child actor Anthony Rapp has kicked up a backlash.

The two-time Oscar winner apologized for the 31-year-old assault at a party in New York but then chose to come out of the closet, prompting many to question the timing and accusing the actor of trying to change the subject.

The two-paragraph statement – an apology in the first and a self-outing in the second – struck many as an odd time for Spacey to address his sexual orientation. Some gay-rights activists say he also seemed to make a connection between being gay and sexual abuse of minors.