Róisín Murphy responds to puberty blockers comment backlash: ‘I was stepping out of line’
Róisín Murphy has scored the highest-charting album of her career, despite facing backlash over anti-trans comments. (Burak Cingi/Redferns)
Singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy has apologised following a backlash over an anti-trans comment she made on Facebook, saying the “ramifications of my actions [and the] divisions it has caused [are] heart-breaking”.
Last week, a screenshot of a comment left by the Irish star, in which she opposed puberty blockers, began to circulate on social media.
Murphy, who has legions of LGBTQ+ fans, confirmed via her apology that the comment in question was authentic.
In the comment, she wrote: “Please don’t call me a TERF, please don’t keep using that word against women.
“I beg you. But puberty blockers are f*cked, 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,” she added.
On Tuesday (29 August), the singer issued an apology on her X account, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“I’ve been thrown into a very public discourse in an arena I’m uncomfortable in and deeply unsuitable for,” she wrote. “I cannot apologise enough for being the reason for this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social media fire and brimstone.
“To witness the ramifications of my actions and the divisions it has caused is heart-breaking.”
On the day she made the comment, she was scrolling through social media and “brought up a specific issue that was only broadly related to the original post”, she added.
“It was something that had been on my mind. I knew my friends were informed about the topic. I should’ve known too I was stepping out of line.” .
She went on to say that she has spent her “whole life celebrating diversity and different views” and has never aimed her music at “the pockets of any demographic”, but understands why some fans will have left her because of the controversy.
“I am sorry my comments have been directly hurtful to many of you. You must have felt a huge shock, blindsided by this so abruptly. I understand fixed views are not helpful but I really hope people can understand my concern was out of love for all of us.”
She concluded her apology by vowing to “completely bow out” of the conversation in the public domain.
However, some LGBTQ+ fans of Róisín Murphy were less than receptive to the apology, particularly the fact that Murphy said she will not be commenting further.
Dr John Gilmore, who said he has been a fan for many years, described being “beyond disappointed [with her] lacklustre response [and] lack of a commitment to learn or grow… Transphobia kills. A fan lost”.
One X user wrote: “‘I have been thrown into a very public discourse in an area I’m uncomfortable and deeply unsuited for, with all due respect you very much started it.”
Another person commented: “Never seen an artist nuke their core audience like this before.”
How did this story make you feel?
