Ne-Yo has apologised for recent comments he made regarding parenting and gender identity – saying he plans to take a more “empathetic” approach going forward.
The singer-songwriter stirred controversy over the weekend during an interview with Gloria Velez for VladTV. In the discussion, he questioned parents who support their children identifying as a different gender than that which they were assigned at birth.
“I just personally come from an era where a man was a man and a woman was a woman. And there was two genders, and that’s just how I rocked,” he said in the clip. “You could identify as a goldfish if you feel like – I don’t care. That ain’t my business. It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game with you. I’m not gonna call you a goldfish. But if you wanna be a goldfish, you go be a goldfish. We live in a weird time, man. We do.”
He went on: “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’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 themself?”
“When did that happen? I don’t understand,” continued the father of seven. “He can’t drive a car yet, but he can decide his sex?”
Now, Ne-Yo – whose real name is Shaffer Chimere Smith – has issued an apology for his comments, and stated that he wants to “better educate” himself on the topic.
“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,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) last night (August 6). “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.
“Gender identity is nuanced and I can honestly admit that I plan to better educate myself on the topic, so I can approach future conversations with more empathy,” he continued.
“At the end of the day, I lead with love and support everyone’s freedom of expression and pursuit of happiness.”
I’d like to express my deepest apologies… pic.twitter.com/M5aTFN40tn
— NE-YO (@NeYoCompound) August 7, 2023
As reported by Billboard, the night prior he also made more comments, clarifying his stance on the topic, saying that while he doesn’t “condemn” anyone for their decisions, he should be allowed to express his honest opinion when asked.
“Who am I to condemn anybody? Your life, your kids, your choice. I was asked a question and I answered it. My opinion is mine. I’m not asking anybody to agree with me nor am I telling you what you can and cannot do with your children,” he said.
“Agreeing to disagree is not a declaration of war,” he also added. “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.”
In other Ne-Yo news, last month the musician revealed that he’s a huge fan of the game Street Fighter. It was also reported that he takes his PlayStation 5 with him on tour in a “new personal tradition” in order to handle the stresses that his work throws at him.