While he is supporting children to go against stereotypes, the 'Miss Independent' singer insists there is one line he wouldn't cross when it comes to gender.
- Aug 6, 2023
AceShowbiz - Ne-Yo has slammed parents who support their children changing gender at a young age. The "Miss Independent" singer - who shares Madilyn, 12, and Mason, 11, with former fiancee Monyetta Shaw; Shaffer Jr., seven, Roman, five, and Isabella, two, with ex-wife Crystal Renay; and Braiden, two, and Brixton, six months, with ex-girlfriend Sade Jenea - is baffled as to why mothers and fathers allow their offspring to make such "life-changing" decisions and accuses them of having "forgotten what the role of parent is."
"I feel like the parents have almost forgotten what the role of a parent is. If your little boy comes up to you and says, 'Daddy I wanna be a girl,' you just let him rock with that?" he said to Gloria Velez for VladTV.
"Where did he get that? If you let this five-year-old little boy eat candy all day, he's gonna do that. Like, when did it become a good idea to let a five year old, a six year old, a 12 year old, make a life-changing decision? When did that happen? Like, I don't understand that. He can't drive a car yet, but he can decide his sex?"
Ne-Yo insisted children should be encouraged to go against stereotypes, but that doesn't mean they need to change gender. He said, "I can't take credit for it, but I heard somebody say one time, if your son comes to you and says, 'Daddy, I want to be a girl,' ask your son, 'Son, what is a girl?' "
"What is he gonna do? He might want to play with dolls. All right, you want to play with dolls. Play with dolls. But you're a boy playing with dolls. 'I want to wear pink.' Cool, wear pink, but you're a boy wearing pink."
The 43-year-old singer declared he comes from "an era" where a "man was a man and a woman was a woman" and while he is happy for people to identify how they want to, he won't "play the game." He continued, "There was two genders and that's just how I rocked. You could identify as a goldfish if you feel like, that ain't my business. It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game. I'm not gonna call you a goldfish."
