Ne-Yo takes back apology for trans kids comments: ‘I do not apologise for opinions’
“I am entitled to feel how I feel”
Singer Ne-Yo has claimed he stands by recent comments questioning whether parents should let children express another gender identity.
Speaking to Gloria Velez this month for VladTV, he said: “I feel like the parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is.
“If your little boy comes up to you and says, “Daddy I wanna be a girl,” you just let him rock with that?”’
He went on to add: “Like, when did it become a good idea to let a five-year-old, a six-year-old, a 12-year-old, make a life-changing decision?
“I do not apologise for having an opinion on this matter”
“When did that happen? Like, I don’t understand that,” the father-of-seven probed.
The 43-year-old then appeared to issue an apology for his controversial remarks on his Twitter yesterday (7 August).
However, he has now claimed his publicist put out the statement. He has since decided to give his side of the story.
In a new Instagram video, he said fans needed to hear his thoughts from “the horse’s mouth and not the publicist’s computer.”
“First and foremost, I do not apologise for having an opinion on this matter,’ he said.
“I’m a 43-year-old heterosexual man raising five boys and two girls. That’s my reality. If my opinion offended somebody then yeah sure I apologise because that wasn’t my intention isn’t to offend anybody.”
He went on to add: “However, I am entitled to feel how I feel. I have no beef with the LGBTQIA+ community whatsoever.
“Do what you want to do with your kids.”
It comes after a statement on his Twitter read: “After much reflection, I’d like to express my deepest apologies to anyone 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. I understand how my comments could have been misinterpreted as insensitive or offensive.”