Current:Home > reviewsNe-Yo says he'll 'never be OK' with gender-affirming care for kids: 'I feel very strongly' -Wealth Axis Pro
Ne-Yo says he'll 'never be OK' with gender-affirming care for kids: 'I feel very strongly'
View
Date:2025-04-17 20:09:12
Ne-Yo is doubling down on his controversial stance against children receiving gender-affirming care.
The R&B singer drew backlash on Sunday after an interview with Gloria Velez for VladTV, in which he slammed parents who allow their kids to undergo (often life-saving) gender-transition surgery. Later that day, he posted a statement on social media expressing his "deepest apologies" for his "insensitive and offensive" comments.
But on Monday, he walked back that remorseful message with a video on Instagram, captioned, "I will not be bullied into apologizing for having an opinion."
In the video, Ne-Yo said he normally doesn't care "about what y'all think about what I do," but "this is something I feel very strongly on."
"I need y'all to hear this from the horse's mouth, not the publicist's computer," Ne-Yo said. "First and foremost, I did not apologize for having an opinion on this matter. 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 went on to say that he is "entitled to how I feel" and that he has "no beef with the LGBTQIA+ community whatsoever."
"However, I will never be OK with allowing a child to make a decision that is detrimental to their life," Ne-Yo said. "I will never be OK with that. I definitely plan to educate myself a little bit more on this matter. However, I doubt there's any book anywhere or any opinion that somebody's going to tell me that's going make me OK with letting a child make a decision like that."
The singer ended the video by encouraging viewers to voice their opinions. "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," the Grammy winner said. "And I ain't got no problem with that. I'm a hustler, alright? I'll figure it out. I love everybody. Live how you want to live. Love how you want to love, but your opinion is yours."
Monday's retraction was in stark contrast to his earlier remarks on X (formerly known as Twitter), in which he apologized to "anyone that I may have hurt with my comments about parenting and gender identity."
"Gender identity is nuanced and I can honestly admit that I plan to better educate myself on the topic, so I can approach further conversations with more empathy," Ne-Yo wrote. "At the end of the day, I lead with love and support everyone's freedom of expression and pursuit of happiness."
According to data released by Pew Research Center last year, about 5% of young adults identify as transgender or nonbinary. But not everyone who wants gender-affirming care has the means to access it: Only 14% of young people (through age 24) who said they wanted gender-affirming hormone therapy actually received it, according to a study last year from The Trevor Project.
About 80% of those who received gender-affirming hormone therapy had at least one parent support their gender identity.
More:What to know about gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary communities
Contributing: David Oliver
veryGood! (48715)
Related
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- Pregnant Francesca Farago Reveals How Snapchat Saved Her Babies' Lives
- Pope Francis is first pope to address G7 summit, meets with Biden, world leaders
- Micro communities offer homeless Americans safe shelter in growing number of cities
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- From chickens to foxes, here's how bird flu is spreading across the US
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Letter Openers
- What we know about the fight between conspiracist Alex Jones and Sandy Hook families over his assets
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Can the Greater Sage-Grouse Be Kept Off the Endangered Species List?
Ranking
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Q&A: Choked by Diesel Pollution From Generators, Cancer Rates in Beirut Surge by 30 Percent
- Motorcycle riding has long been male-dominated. Now, women are taking the wheel(s)
- Teen Mom Star Amber Portwood's Fiancé Gary Wayt Found After Disappearance
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Nashville police officer fired, arrested after OnlyFans appearance in uniform while on duty
- California’s Democratic leaders clash with businesses over curbing retail theft. Here’s what to know
- Another Olympics, another doping scandal in swimming: 'Maybe this sport's not fair'
Recommendation
Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
Some hawking stem cells say they can treat almost anything. They can’t
Italy concedes goal after 23 seconds but recovers to beat Albania 2-1 at Euro 2024
Explosions heard as Maine police deal with armed individual
Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
Nick Mavar, longtime deckhand on 'Deadliest Catch', dies at 59 after 'medical emergency'
Mama June's Daughter Jessica Chubbs Shannon Wants Brother-In-Law to Be Possible Sperm Donor
Arrests of 8 with suspected ISIS ties in U.S. renew concern of terror attack