Last week, a screenshot of an old Facebook comment from the Irish singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy made the rounds on Twitter. Commenting under a post by the comedian and anti-transgender activist Graham Linehan, Murphy appeared to make inflammatory comments about trans people and criticized the use of puberty blockers on children. “Please don’t call me a terf, please don’t keep using that word against women,” she wrote. “I beg you! but puberty blockers ARE FUCKED, 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.”
The comment sparked backlash from Murphy’s fan base, particularly given her previous support for the LGBTQ+ community. Addressing the controversy in a statement today, Murphy wrote:
I have been thrown into a very public discourse in an arena I’m uncomfortable in and deeply unsuitable for. 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 are heartbreaking.
I’ve had a personal Facebook account for years. The morning I made those comments I was scrolling and I brought up a specific issue that was only broadly related to the original post. It was something that had been on my mind. I knew my friends were informed about the topic. I should’ve known too that I was stepping out of line.
I’ve spent my whole life celebrating diversity and different views, but I never patronise or cynically aim my music directly at the pockets of any demographic. The music I make is the core of everything I do and it’s ever- evolving, freewheeling and unpredictable. For those of you who are leaving me, or have already left, I understand, I really do, but please know I have loved every one of you. I have always been so proud of my audience and understood the privilege of performing for you, all through the years.
I am so 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.
I will now completely bow out of this conversation within the public domain. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in turning it into ANY kind of ‘campaign’, because campaigning is not what I do. Though I completely understand that for others activism is their true calling, and it is necessary and legitimate in a democracy. My true calling is music and music will never exclude any of us, I believe it will always be one of the greatest tools we can use to create a culture of tolerance. Thank you for taking the trouble to read this.
I’m Gone Fishing.
Sincerely, Roísin ❤️
“You can't hide from the truth, cause the truth is all there is” – well @roisinmurphy – the truth is that you ARE expressing transphobic views here on FB with your personal account under a post about the vile transphobe Glinner. pic.twitter.com/GSphWW5u0a
— Joanna Cuddle (@joannacuddle) August 23, 2023
This is what Róisín Murphy thought would be the right thing to be 'pinned' on her last Instagram post. Says it all. 🚮
'This ideology is affectively transing away our gay youth'
SERIOUSLY @roisinmurphy ?!? SERIOUSLY?! GET IN THE BIN pic.twitter.com/9QHeOiGUMT— diogo filipe filipe 🌈 (@DiogoFFilipe) August 27, 2023
— Róisín Murphy (@roisinmurphy) August 29, 2023
