Bette Midler came under fire on Thursday, October 4, for posting a racially insensitive tweet.
“‘Women, are the n-word of the world,’” the Hocus Pocus actress, 72, wrote in a since-deleted tweet, seemingly referencing a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono for their 1972 album Some Time in New York City. “Raped, beaten, enslaved, married off, worked like dumb animals; denied education and inheritance; enduring the pain and danger of childbirth and life IN SILENCE for THOUSANDS of years They are the most disrespected creatures on earth.”
Social media users were quick to respond to the controversial tweet. “It’s just not right to use n word,” one user wrote. “It reduces all humanity when used. All over the world women are forced to live lives not of their making through power, war, religion, poverty. And pay with their lIves if they seek freedom from tyranny.”
A second user added: “I don’t give a dandelion if #BetteMidler is quoting John Lennon & Yoko Ono, ‘women are the n-word of the world’ is inaccurate, inappropriate, and irresponsible. The fact that black people are made synonymous with oppression tells you who the world STILL considers “n-words.”
Amid the backlash, Midler attempted to explain her reference. “I gather I have offended many by my last tweet,” she admitted in another since-deleted tweet. “‘Women are the…etc’ is a quote from Yoko Ono from 1972, which I never forgot. It rang true then, and it rings true today, whether you like it or not. This is not about race, this is about the status of women; THEIR HISTORY.”
She then deleted both tweets and apologized for her words, claiming the investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was her motivation for posting.
“The too brief investigation of allegations against Kavanaugh infuriated me,” she tweeted. “Angrily I tweeted w/o thinking my choice of words would be enraging to black women who doubly suffer, both by being women and by being black. I am an ally and stand with you; always have. And I apologize.”
Protestors, including Amy Schumer and Emily Ratajkowski, opposed Kavanaugh’s nomination at the Hart Senate Office Building on Thursday. He denied all of the allegations made against him.
