Midler initially caused a huge reaction online when she suggested women are being stripped of their name and are instead being called “menstruators” and “birthing people.” She later tweeted that her original post was a stance on a recent New York Times article. Not everyone was satisfied with Midler’s explanation, however, as some in the comments section suggested she was missing the point.
Some are calling for a boycott of Midler’s upcoming film Hocus Pocus 2.
In addition, singer/actress Macy Gray has fired back at the backlash after she made a controversial remark about trans people during a TV interview, Yahoo! News noted.
Appearing on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Gray sparked outrage while discussing whether trans women should be allowed to compete against biological women in sports, saying, “Just because you go and change your parts doesn’t make you a woman, sorry.”
Addressing the backlash on Twitter, Gray said, “I got nothing but love for lgbt+ and transgender communities. I’ve been a supporter since day one and never a fake one.”
However, earlier in the day, Gray retweeted support from anti-trans Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who said: “Today feels like a good day to ensure I’ve bought Macy Gray’s entire back [catalog].” Rowling lent her support further to the five-time Grammy Award-winner, tweeting a screen grab of Gray’s tweet saying the “truth hurts.”