23 Aug 2016

Bette Midler apologises for making transphobic comments towards Caitlyn Jenner

Cape Town – Bette Midler has apologised for making transphobic comments towards Caitlyn Jenner on Twitter.

The singer/actress has been known to rub people up the wrong way on social media, like the time she made a "joke" about Kim Kardashian’s nude selfie and it spiraled into a Twitter feud.

This time Bette made a "joke" about Caitlyn’s E! series being cancelled and people were not okay with it.

Here is the now deleted tweet:

People then posted their disappointment:

There are ways to discuss Caitlyn Jenner being trash without misgendering her lol @BetteMidler
— jon (@prasejeebus) August 21, 2016

@BetteMidler I love you Bette but this is horrible.
— roxane gay (@rgay) August 21, 2016

@darrenhayes @BetteMidler What she said was pretty fucked up and dehumanizing though. Transphobia hurts a lot coming from those we trust.
— Jules Ruiz (@EastWindBlues) August 23, 2016

Bette later apologised and tagged the Human Rights Campaign:

DEAR FRIENDS @HRC, WHOM I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED. SORRY LAST TWEET OFFENDED. AN IDLE MUSING. I SEEM TO HAVE MISREAD THE TEMPER OF THE TIMES.
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) August 21, 2016

But her apology attracted a negative reaction as well:

By "misread the temper of the times," do you mean you thought society at large was transphobic enough to laugh along with you? @BetteMidler
— Secret Gamer Girl (@SecretGamerGrrl) August 21, 2016

@BetteMidler @HRC this is kind of an underwhelming apology, frankly.
— Caz (@caz_lives) August 21, 2016

Bette is yet to respond.

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