Earlier this week, Ne-Yo came under fire for comments he made about parents who allowed their children to transition as minors. “I have no issue with the [LGBTQIA+] community, I have no problem with nobody. Love who you love. Do what you do. I just personally come from an era where a man was a man, and a woman was a woman, and there wasn’t but two genders, and that’s just how it rocked. Now, 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 to play the game with you. I’m not going to call you a goldfish. You want to be a goldfish? Go be a goldfish. We live in a weird time, man,” the rapper said on a VladTV podcast.
Ne-Yo’s point really boils down to “I don’t have an issue with trans people, but I don’t respect their decision and don’t abide by it.” What appeared to further rile up trans advocates was the use of the debunked and transphobic talking point about “children identifying as animals”. No verifiable study has shown an actual phenomenon of children identifying as animals as their gender. While it’s certainly not the worst anti-trans take out there, it’s still fairly ignorant. He conflates sex with gender, starting there are two genders when referring men and women. Furthermore, it’s unusual that man who goes by Ne-Yo despite being born Shaffer Chimere Smith, has an issue with people wanting to be identified a different way to how they were born. After the comments appeared on Hollywood Unlocked, Ne-Yo took to the comments section to add a clarification.
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“1st and foremost, I CONDEMN NO ONE. 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. I stated my opinion on a matter and that’s that.
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,” Ne-Yo wrote in the comments.
Again, it’s the same idea as he previously stated. He has a right to his opinion and he disagrees with the idea of children transitioning at a young age. Of course, his opinion is based on incorrect assumptions about the trans community, which is why he was called out in the first place. It’s very telling that Ne-Yo plays the cis victim card, asking “Why should I care if my opinion upsets you when you don’t care if yours upsets anyone?” Firstly, being trans is not an opinion. Not liking trans people is an opinion. But being trans, or gender non-conforming is not an opinion. But regardless, Ne-Yo has expressed his opinion while pulling the classic “I love all people, despite being opposed to your existence and not loving you enough to show you basic respect.”
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