American rapper, actor and TV host T.I. is currently on the
hot seat as millions of social media users slam him for a “disgusting and
controlling” comment he made in a podcast that aired on Tuesday.
The backlash came fast and furious after the interview went
public. In the interview, T.I. whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.
after been asked what his parenting style with his teenage daughter is, can be
heard saying
“Not only have we had the conversation. We have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen,” he said. “And yes, I go with her.”
Several twitter users would not have that and they rightly
called him out on what Yashar Ali (@yashar) New York Magazine and HuffPost
contributor called “…disgusting and horrible.”
“This is disgusting and horrible. Rapper T.I. says that he takes his daughter to the gynecologist to make sure her hymen is still intact!
Even after her 18th birthday (not that it makes it
ok before her 18th birthday)
Horrifying,” he tweeted.
T.I. admitted though, that doctors will always inform him
that a woman’s hymen can often break from other activities without sexual
penetration.
He acknowledged knowing that physical activities like bike
riding, athletics, horseback riding, and just about any other form of strenuous
athletic activity could cause the hymen to rupture.
However, he noted his daughter doesn’t do any athletic
activity.
“So, I say, ‘look, Doc, she don’t ride no horses, she don’t ride no bike, she don’t play no sports.”
“Just check the hymen, please, and give me back my results expeditiously.”
And, this last statement was what riled up so many people:
Shalailah Medhora @shalailah tweeted, “This is beyond f**ked
up – this guy not only takes his adult daughter for yearly “hymen checks,” he
then goes on to brag about it in public. Absolutely disgusting. Purity culture
at its most vile.”
Another user Ana Kasparina @AnaKasparian, said: “Not
something I typically tweet about – but as someone who knows first hand how
traumatizing it is have your entire value based on “purity” by conservative
family members this is terrible and should not be applauded.”
… And Celebrities are not left out
Celebrities including Chrissy Teigen, Top Chef host Padma
Lakshmi and Iggy Azalea are also flaking T.I. for his comments.
@Chrissyteigen tweeted, “Def did not think we would be
talking about hymens today, or TI”
Iggy Azalea wrote in what’s now deleted tweet – “Really, I
wished the women who interviewed him would have said something to him. He has
serious control issues with women in all aspects of his life and needs
therapy.”
While, Padma Lakshmi said, “The double standard of the
patriarchy is truly insane. Young women are fully capable of making their own
informed decisions about their bodies and their sexuality.
Madeline Brewer, “The Handmaid’s Tale” star wrote “This makes
me feel physically ill. It’s abhorrent. This isn’t behavior to laugh at or joke
about. The level of toxicity and malice and control he’s exerting on his own
daughter’s life and bodily autonomy and privacy, I’m sick.”
