Singer Ne-Yo responded to backlash he received for his disapproval of parents who allow their children to change genders.
On Sunday, Ne-Yo, 43, commented on an Instagram post accusing him of condemning parents who support their children in making the life-altering decision.
“1st and foremost, I CONDEMN NO ONE. Who am I to condemn anybody? Your life, your kids, your choice,” he wrote.
The “So Sick” singer clarified the opinion was his own and he wasn’t “asking anybody to agree with me nor am I telling you what you can and cannot do with your children.”
He continued:
“Why should I care if my opinion upsets you when you don’t care if yours upsets anyone? Opinions aren’t special. We all have one. People voice them regularly whether they’re asked or not. I was actually asked mine. Agreeing to disagree is not a declaration of war. Y’all do whatever the hell y’all want to. But my feelings on the matter are mine. Same way yours are yours. Meanwhile, I love everybody. Don’t agree with some of y’all’s ideals….but love you no less.”
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Later that day, Ne-Yo posted an apology on X, formerly known as Twitter, for his statements.
“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,” he shared.
I’d like to express my deepest apologies… pic.twitter.com/M5aTFN40tn
— NE-YO (@NeYoCompound) August 7, 2023
He proceeded to call gender identity “nuanced” and assured he would “better educate” himself on the topic to “approach future conversations with more empathy.”
Last week, the Grammy award-winning artist did an interview with Gloria Velez for VladTV where he addressed parents who support their children’s gender desire to transition.
“I feel like parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is. If your little boy comes to you and says, ‘Daddy, I want to be a girl.’ And you just let him rock with that?” he inquired.
Ne-Yo added, “He’s 5 … If you let this 5-year-old boy decide to eat candy all day, he’s gonna do that.”
“When did it become a good idea to let a 5-year-old, let a 6-year-old, let a 12-year-old make a life-changing decision for theyself? When did that happen?” he continued, adding he didn’t “understand” it.