'There Is So Much Nuance In This Conversation': Betty Who Apologises For 'Harmful' Comments

Australian-born, American-based musician Betty Who has issued an apology after sharing comments that were criticised as being “harmful” towards lesbians in a podcast.

Last week, Betty Who appeared on the Made It Out podcast with host Mal Glowenke, where they discussed being queer in a straight-facing relationship with their husband, Zak Cassar. Betty identifies as non-binary and bisexual, and throughout the conversation, discussed the fluidity of their sexuality.

During the interview, Betty was asked about US singer Fletcher and influencer JoJo Siwa and their relationships with men.

“I think it’s hard when you become representative of something to other people, and then you change or you are just following your heart, and then that means other people feel that they are not represented anymore,” Betty said. “The pressure of that is so immense.”

They added, “A huge part of queerness is identifying yourself and putting yourself under, you know, the alphabet mafia. It’s like, ‘Which one are you?’”

Betty later referenced comments made by Reneé Rapp, who identifies as a lesbian, saying she’d never date a man.

“Reneé Rapp is like, ‘You’ll never catch me dating a man,’” Betty said, adding, “Like, ‘Go off, queen. I love that for you!’ But I also hold space for her in 10 years if she goes, ‘Oops, I met the love of my life and it’s this man, I didn’t mean to.’ It’s like, that’s okay!”

Betty received criticism for their comments from some members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including American singer King Princess.

While King Princess didn’t actually name Betty, fans speculated that she was talking about the Australian artist when she said, “Date a man, it’s not a big deal. But why are you on a podcast talking about it? It’s not an interesting narrative.

“We live in a country where our rights are being stripped from us every day, and you think it’s important to get on a podcast and talk about how hard it is to be in a heteronormative relationship? Diva!”

@kingprincess

♬ Girls - King Princess

In response to the criticism, Betty shared an apology on their Instagram Stories.

“In recent days, I’ve taken time to sit with the conversation around my gender and sexuality,” their statement began (per NME).

“I recognize that the language I used poorly articulated my experience and unintentionally reinforced ideas that were harmful or dismissive, particularly toward the lesbian community. That was never my intention, and I’m truly sorry.”

Adding that they were spotlighting their own experiences, Betty wrote, “I went into the interview to discuss my own journey – specifically, how I figured out how to identify myself and how I ultimately landed on non-binary and bisexual, both assignments that live somewhere in-between.

“I understand there is so much nuance in this conversation, and in other people’s lived experiences, that my comments did not reflect. I also recognize that I’m coming from a place of privilege, and I never meant to contribute to prejudice against the community.”

Their statement concluded: “The LGBTQ+ community is my home; it’s where I came alive, found my people, and learned more about love, acceptance, and tolerance on a deeper human level. I will do better.”

Earlier this month, Betty Who dropped the delightfully campy single Fabulous, which arrived ahead of their appearance in the Drowsy Chaperone Benefit Concert alongside Laverne Cox and Jonathan Van Ness this October. They also shared the single SWEAT in May, and Run! earlier this year.

In 2023, Betty Who landed their Broadway debut when they portrayed Persephone, Queen Of The Underworld, in the 2023 run of the musical Hadestown.

In October 2022, Betty Who unleashed their joyous fourth album, BIG!, which followed the artist as they told a story of endurance, self-love and acceptance.