Ne-Yo Doubles Down On Gender Identity Comment
Ne-Yo is retracting his “publicist’s apology” over the controversial statement he made recently about children receiving gender-affirming surgery. In an interview with VladTV on Sunday (Aug. 6), he blasted parents who let children have a gender-affirming procedure (which has been proven to save the lives of many young people).
“After much reflection, I’d like to express my deepest apologies to anyone that I may have hurt with my comments on parenting and gender identity. I’ve always been an advocate for love and inclusivity in the LGBTQI+ community, so I understand how my comments could’ve been interpreted as insensitive and offensive,” a message on Ne-Yo’s I’d like to express my deepest apologies... pic.twitter.com/M5aTFN40tn
However, a few hours later, the “Sexy Love” singer retracted that statement posted on his social media accounts and uploaded a video expressing that his fans needed “from the horse’s mouth” and “not the publicist’s computer.”
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“First and foremost, I did not apologize for having an opinion on this matter,” Ne-Yo began. “I am a 43-year-old heterosexual man raising five boys and two girls, OK? That’s my reality. If my opinion offended somebody, yeah, sure, I apologize for you being offended because that wasn’t my intention. My intention is never to offend anybody.”
He then expressed how he is “entitled to how I feel” and that he has “no beef with the LGBTQIA+ community whatsoever.”
The singer decided to speak out in the first place on the matter, saying that he usually doesn’t care “about what y’all think about what I do,” but “this is something I feel very strongly on.” He also agreed to “educate himself” more on the topic.
“If I get canceled for this, then, you know what, maybe this is a world where they don’t need a Ne-Yo no more. And I ain’t got no problem with that. I’m a hustler, alright? I’ll figure it out,” the singer said.
“I love everybody. Live how you want to live. Love how you want to love, but your opinion is yours. Speak your opinion as much as you d— well feel like it, because as I said, they’re not special,” he said at the end of the video.