Movie actor John Travolta has hit back at a gay journalist's assertion that Scientology advocates ‘curing' homosexuality. Kevin Naff, editor of the Washington Blade, criticised Mr Travolta for playing the lead in a re-make of camp classic film ‘Hairspray'. "Travolta, a prominent Scientologist, has no business for reprising an iconic gay role," wrote Naff. "It's well known that Scientology rejects gays and lesbians as members and even operates reparative therapy clinics to 'cure' homosexuality. Divine is spinning in his grave." The original 1988 version starred a young Ricki Lake as Tracy Turnblad, with drag queen legend Divine playing her mother, Edna Turnblad – the role taken by Travolva in the new movie, to be released this Spring in New Zealand. Mr Travolta has responded to the criticism, claiming that Hairspray is not a gay movie. "There is nothing gay in this movie. I'm not playing a gay man,” he told The Scoop. "Scientology is not homophobic in any way. In fact it's one of the more tolerant faiths. Anyone's accepted." However, the Church of Scientology is known for its anti-gay stance. L. Ron Hubbard, the religion's founder, wrote that gay people are "perverts", "quite physically ill," and "extremely dangerous to society." Scientologists claim that he later changed his view on the issue of homosexuality. Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a large girl who dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins Show, a local television programme based on the real-life Buddy Dean Show in Baltimore, Maryland. Once given a chance, despite her small height and large frame, she becomes an overnight celebrity. Ref: Pinknews.co.uk (m)