Actress Bette Midler is clarifying a tweet that many people criticized as being transphobic.
Midler called on women to stand up against gender-neutralizing terms that would “erase” them and their bodily rights in a tweet Monday. She is now walking back the comment.
“PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!” Midler wrote, noting that her previous comments were in response to a New York Times opinion piece. “There was no intention of anything exclusionary or transphobic in what I said; it wasn’t about that.”
PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! My tweet about women was a response to this fascinating and well written piece in the NYT on July 3rd. https://t.co/MlsATlrr1r. There was no intention of anything exclusionary or transphobic in what I said; it wasn’t about that.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) July 5, 2022
THEY DON’T CALL US WOMEN ANYMORE’: BETTE MIDLER SAYS WOMEN ARE BEING ERASED
The actress also said her comments were intended to address women’s rights, adding that she has “fought for marginalized people for as long as I can remember.”
I have always supported and adored, so be it.
But the truth is, Democracy is slipping through our fingers! I’m all in on trying to save Democracy for ALL PEOPLE. We must unite, because, in case you haven’t been paying attention, divided we will definitely fall.— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) July 5, 2022
Midler conceded she may lose some fans over the comments but reiterated her call to unite over not allowing rights to slip away.
Midler’s comments follow criticism for being “anti-trans.”
“No,” drag queen and LGBT rights activist Panti Bliss-Cabrera wrote in response. “Don’t fall for the anti-trans panic fake nonsense. No one is erasing women. In a few small healthcare cases where appropriate they are using trans inclusive language. That’s all.”
No. Don’t fall for the anti-trans panic fake nonsense. No one is erasing women. In a few small healthcare cases where appropriate they are using trans inclusive language. That’s all.
— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) July 4, 2022
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Author Julie DiCaro also tweeted, “With all due respect, Bette, trans-inclusive language doesn’t take anything away from us.”
