Bette Midler In Social Media Doghouse After Alleged Transphobic Tweet

Hollywood veteran Bette Midler recently trended on Twitter when she made a very controversial tweet sharing her thoughts about the trans community and the push for more trans-inclusive language. The actress wrote that the language additions strip women of their rights and identity.

Midler's statements received a lot of criticism from people in the trans community and their supporters, who insisted that trans-inclusive language does not erase anyone's rights and only makes communication more inclusive for everyone, regardless of gender.

Midler's recent trend comes shortly after another female celebrity, singer Macy Gray received a lot of criticism for a recent interview with Piers Morgan where they talked about gender and the rights of transgender people. 

Read on to find out about Midler's message and the reception.

https://twitter.com/BetteMidler/status/1543979948611981313?s=20&t=MFkMW1s6356F4thCrQbwyQ

On Monday, Midler tweeted, "WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our name! They don't call us 'women' anymore; they call us' birthing people' or 'menstruators,' and even 'people with vaginas!' Don't let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you."

Many members of the trans community and their allies on Twitter quickly criticized the 76-year-old "Hocus Pocus" star, arguing that her opinion was completely false.

One viral response read, "Please don’t do this. Sex and gender have never, ever been binary and enforcing an arbitrary binary harms everyone - especially intersex, trans and nonbinary folk. Patriarchy benefits from a rigid binary, not women."

More responses poured in, many of them criticizing Midler or correcting her. Author Roxanne Gay responded, "No one is trying to erase women with inclusive language about people who need abortion care. No one is calling you anything but what you prefer. You should extend that courtesy in return."

One comment read, "Don't do this, Bette. 'Birthing people' is language used to make sure we don't exclude trans comrades. It doesn't erase women at all," while another read, "As a woman without a uterus, I support inclusive language to normalize that trans men need reproductive healthcare too, 100% It's not trans people who are taking away my right to bodily [anatomy]. We're all fighting the same fight."

Another comment explained, "Oh Bette. Trans people and those who love and support them have no problem with the term or concept of "women". We're just after inclusive language when appropriate and needed, to ensure often-vulnerable people are included and protected. It ain't hard.”

Midler's tweet comes just after singer Macy Gray trended for her controversial interview with Piers Morgan on his TalkTv program. During the interview, Morgan stated that he has noticed that celebrities are wary of sharing their honest opinion on the issues of gender and the trans community because of their feat of backlash.

Gray agreed with Morgan and shared that she defines a woman as a "human being with boobs and a vagina." She said, "Just because you go change your parts doesn't make you a woman."

Gray also said that although she supports and defends transgender rights, she has a personal limit regarding sports and athletic competitions. The backlash to the interview was immediate, with many criticizing Morgan and Gray for being against the trans community. Midler's tweet comes just after Macy Gray trended for her controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

During the interview with Morgan, Gray also said, "If you want me to call you a 'her,' I will. Because that's what you want but that doesn't make you a woman just because I call you a 'her' and just because you got a surgery."

She explained that she believes that being a woman takes more than just medical procedures. Gray said, "A woman goes through a completely unique experience and surgery and finding oneself doesn't change that. Being a little girl is a whole epic book, you know? You can't have that just because you want to be a woman."

https://youtu.be/K3eWYEaOqDk?t=370