(USNewsMag.com) – In a video posted to social media on August 7, singer-songwriter Shaffer Chimere Smith, known as Ne-Yo,” walked back comments he made about his views on gender ideology for children.
Ne-Yo was born in Camden, Arkansas, and has three children with Crystal Smith. He gained popularity in the 2000s as a songwriter and has three Grammys. In 2021, he was on the show The Masked Singer, and his last album was released in 2022.
The viral moment happened on Sunday when Ne-Yo discussed child gender transitions with Gloria Velez on VladTV. During the episode, the singer expressed his feelings about parents who transition their young children and seek gender-affirming care.
He faced criticism from those who cited medical evidence supporting gender-affirming care for children and adolescents following the upload of his interview on YouTube over the weekend.
So-called gender-affirming care for kids may include changing the child’s name and pronouns, dressing them in comfortable clothes, giving them puberty blockers, and allowing irreversible surgeries. Parents of transgender children are encouraged to validate and affirm their child’s chosen gender, something Ne-Yo did not agree with.
Shortly after his interview, Ne-Yo issued an apology on Twitter. He clarified that he did not intend to offend anyone, but he believed he had the right to have opinions on the topic of radical gender care for children. Ne-Yo expressed an understanding that his comments could be offensive and said he would educate himself on gender identity. He also issued his sincere apologies to anyone he might have offended.
Later, he took to Instagram to retract what he referred to as his publicist’s comments, hours after apologizing.
Dana Perino, co-host of “The Five,” pointed out that the publicist is supposed to advise the client not to speak without their consent. She went on to say that, fortunately, Ne-Yo can communicate directly with his fans and clarify any misinformation.
According to TV host Greg Gutfeld, the incident illustrates how famous and influential individuals are being forced to conform.
Copyright 2023, USNewsMag.com
