Ne-Yo: The Gender And ‘Difference’ Discussion

Thanks to recording artist Ne-Yo, it’s time to have a heart-to-heart talk about children, gender choices, and other differences.

Lifestyle :
R&B singer Ne-Yo is under rapid fire after publicly sharing his thoughts on parents allowing children to select and change their gender. However, his words have since opened a broader discussion about differences, double standards, and how far is too far.

“I just personally come from an era where a man was a man and a woman was a woman,” Ne-Yo said during an interview for VladTV. “ And there was [sic] two genders, and that’s just how I rocked. You could identify as a goldfish if you feel like, I don’t care. That ain’t my business. It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game with you. I’m not gonna call you a goldfish. But if you wanna be a goldfish, you go be a goldfish.”

Ne-Yo then elaborated by sharing his views on children deciding they are transgender.

“I feel like parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is. If your little boy comes to you and says, ‘Daddy, I want to be a girl’ and you just let him rock with that? He’s 5 …,” the Grammy-winning singer said. “If you let this 5-year-old boy decide to eat candy all day, he’s gonna do that.  

“When did it become a good idea to let a 5-year-old, let a 6-year-old, let a 12-year-old make a life-changing decision for themself? When did that happen? I don’t understand. He can’t drive a car yet, but he can decide his sex?” he added.

Almost immediately, the LGBTQ+ community denounced the remarks from Ne-Yo as insensitive, which prompted the singer to take to social media and double down on his words.

“1st and foremost, I CONDEMN NO ONE. Who am I to condemn anybody? Your life, your kids, your choice. I was asked a question and I answered it,” he wrote. “My opinion is mine. I’m not asking anybody to agree with me nor am I telling you what you can and cannot do with your children. 

He added: “Why should I care if my opinion upsets you when you don’t care if yours upsets anyone? Opinions aren’t special. We all have one.”

As expected, Ne-Yo’s words sparked an angry response from those who say they’ve never felt comfortable with the gender they were “assigned” at birth. Some even said childhood bullying and the force from society to live as a certain gender prompted psychological issues and thoughts of suicide. 

However, others said that although they support the right of adults to be anything and/or anybody they choose, they draw the line when it comes to children. According to their theory, parents should prevent their children from “mutilating” their bodies and changing their gender the same way parents prevent their kids from getting permanent tattoos (until they’re older).

Although there are positives and negatives on both sides of the argument, the opinion from Ne-Yo has presented the opportunity for a valid question: how far is too far?

A mother took to social media to joke about how her little boy “pretends” to be an older senior citizen. The only problem is, he doesn’t appear to be pretending.

The toddler, who is named Jay, insists on being called ‘Grandpa Jay.’ When the family pediatrician asked Jay “What’s it like being a big brother?” to his newborn sister, Jay corrected the doctor and said, “You mean a grandpa?”

Jay was not born a grandpa but says he feels like one. Should everyone around him comply with his wishes and call him “Grandpa” because that’s how he feels?  

Popular opinion suggests people are not going to play along once they know he’s serious.

A Japanese man is so convinced that he’s an animal and not a human, that he spent $16K just to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a dog.

The man walks the streets as if he’s a dog and even goes to dog parks to make friends. His dog “look” is so convincing that some people are initially fooled into believing he’s a real live canine.

The Japanese man was not born a dog but says he feels like one. Should everyone around him comply with his wishes and call him a “dog” because that’s how he feels?

Popular opinion suggests people are not going to play along once they know he’s serious.

Granted, some people are scientifically a different gender or even intersex. However, some people are also pretending and going along with social trends.

So, the question is this: if society is expected to accept a person who identifies as a gender other than the one science gave them at birth, should society also accept someone who identifies as a different race, or as a grandpa, or a dog, or a goldfish?  

Additionally, if we accept one but not the other, is that a double standard? How does all of this relate to children? And, finally, where do we draw the line — or, how far is too far?

OK WASSUP! discusses Lifestyle:
Gender opinions land singer Ne-Yo in hot water.