After controversial gender identity remark, Grammy winner to appear at the NW WA Fair
Ne-Yo, a three-time Grammy winning R&B singer, is set to perform at this year’s Northwest Washington Fair this Friday, amid some recent backlash the singer has faced for a controversial gender-identity comment he made.
In an interview on Aug. 6, Ne-Yo said he did not agree with parents who allow their children to have gender-transition surgeries, according to USA Today. After making the comment and receiving major backlash, Ne-Yo posted a apology on Twitter:
After posting the apology, Ne-Yo made further comments on his Instagram page on Monday, Aug. 7.
“My intention is never to offend anybody … but my opinion is MINE and I’m entitled to it. I don’t care what y’all do with yours. That’s YOURS. This is how I FEEL. If one of my 7 kids were to decide that he or she wanted to be something other than what they were born as, once they’re old enough and mature enough to make that decision … so be it. Not gonna love em’ any less. Daddy is still Daddy and he loves you regardless. But this isn’t even a discussion until they are MENTALLY MATURE ENOUGH to have such a discussion. Period. Point blank. Whatever. Y’all do y’all, imma do me and we can agree to disagree and coexist PEACEFULLY,” Ne-Yo wrote in the video’s caption.
Ne-Yo also stated that he would “never be OK with allowing a child to make a decision that is detrimental to their life,” and said he plans to educate himself more on the subject.
“However, I doubt there’s any book anywhere or any opinion that somebody’s going to tell me that’s going make me OK with letting a child make a decision like that,” Ne-Yo stated in the video.
“If I get canceled for this, then, you know what, maybe this is a world where they don’t need a Ne-Yo no more. And I ain’t got no problem with that. I’m a hustler, alright? I’ll figure it out. I have kids to raise, and I’m going to do that regardless. Live how you want to live. Love how you want to love, but your opinion is yours,” Ne-Yo said in the Instagram video.
Ne-Yo will perform Friday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. as part of the Bank of the Pacific Grandstand entertainment series, and tickets went on sale in May, according to previous reporting from The Bellingham Herald.
Tickets are still available for this show and can be purchased online. Gate admission to the fair is also required and sold separately. Tickets range from $50-$75, or $195 for V.I.P. tickets that include V.I.P. seating, parking, fair gate admission, dinner and a full bar.
The Fair, which opened Aug. 10, runs through Saturday, Aug. 19.
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 12:39 PM.
