Róisín Murphy responds to critics of her views on puberty blockers
Róisín Murphy has posted a statement online after she spoke out against the use of puberty blockers.
The singer came under fire recently after she posted a comment on Facebook using her personal profile where she criticised the use of puberty blockers – used to delay the changes of puberty for transgender and gender-diverse youth.
“Please don’t call me a terf,” she began. “But puberty blockers ARE FUCKED, absolutely desolate, big Pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true.”
The comment soon went viral and came as a shock to some of her fanbase, particularly given the musician’s long-time support from the LGBTQ+ community and strong connection to her fans.
The fact that people like @roisinmurphy are expressing ignorant views like this says nothing good about the state of education about trans lives in Ireland at the moment, at the same time as people are harassing librarians and schools to remove books meant to address the problem. pic.twitter.com/sv267E9mSQ
— Aidan Comerford (@AidanCTweets) August 23, 2023
Now, Murphy has shared another statement online, responding to critics and claiming that she has been “thrown into a very public discourse”.
“I have been thrown into a very public discourse in an arena I’m uncomfortable in and deeply unsuitable for. I cannot apologise enough for being the reason for this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social-media fire and brimstone,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “To witness the ramifications of my actions and the divisions it has caused is heartbreaking.”
“I should’ve known too that I was stepping out of line. I’ve spent my whole life celebrating diversity and different views, but I never patronise or cynically aim my music directly at the pockets of any demographic,” she continued. “For those of you who are leaving me, or have already left, I understand, I really do, but please know I have loved every one of you.
“I will now completely bow out of this conversation within the public domain. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in turning it into ANY kind of ‘campaign’, because campaigning is not what I do. […] My true calling is music and music will never exclude any of us.”
Find her full statement below.
— Róisín Murphy (@roisinmurphy) August 29, 2023
In other Róisín Murphy news, last month the musician appeared as one of the performers at this year’s Bilbao BBK Live.
In a blog following the event, NME described her set as more “sturdy” than ever before.
“More than 120,000 people grace the Kobetamendi site across the three days and those fortunate enough to catch Róisín Murphy’s set on the San Miguel Stage on Friday dance their way into day two,” it read.
“Murphy seems to be locked in a game of costume change with herself, appearing in ever more ostentatious outfits as the night rolls on. Her set is a study in how deep groove mutant disco still lives, breathes and grinds in the 2020s.”
The post Róisín Murphy responds to critics of her views on puberty blockers appeared first on NME.
Liberty Dunworth
NME
