Blake Lively Faces Growing Backlash During Tour Over Transgender Slur

Blake Lively is currently facing backlash amid her press tour for the movie It Ends With Us. Several old interviews have resurfaced where the 36-year-old actress uses a transgender slur, leading to criticism from fans and social media users alike. Let’s delve into what was said and how people are reacting.

In a 2012 interview with Elle magazine, Lively used the term “trannies” while discussing her future children. This term is considered offensive within the trans community. A social media user recently brought this up, sharing a direct quote from the interview on Sunday. In the interview, Lively said, “I hope to have a few girls one day. If not girls, they better be trannies. Because I have some amazing shoes and bags and stories that need to be appreciated.”

This particular word choice has ignited a significant reaction online. Some members of the transgender community and their supporters argue the term is defamatory and offensive, leading to widespread criticism. One social media user said, “You just blew up the whole smear campaign with this one,” while another expressed disbelief by commenting, “Not Lady Deadpool…”

However, not everyone was quick to condemn Lively. Some people believed that the term was more commonly used in less offensive contexts back then and that her comment was not intended to be harmful. One person commented, “I’m actually not mad at this at all. The word was thrown around a lot back in the day. If it was said today it would be problematic, but nothing is wrong with wishing for a trans child.” Another added, “I get what she was trying to say because someone better appreciate all that vintage Versace she has. But she could’ve used different wording.”

The 2012 interview isn’t the only instance where Lively used such terms. In a 2009 interview with Allure, she discussed her insecurities on the set of Gossip Girl and said, “I feel like a tranny a lot of the time. I don’t know, I’m… large? They put me in six-inch heels, and I tower over every man.” She further explained, “I’ve got this long hair and lots of clothes and makeup on. I just feel really big a lot of the time, and I’m surrounded by a lot of tiny people. I feel like a man sometimes.”

Furthermore, in a 2008 interview, Lively addressed rumors of feuds with her Gossip Girl co-star Leighton Meester. Talking about gossip magazines, she said, “You read the gossip magazines and everybody is dating everyone, everybody hates everyone, everybody’s had tons of plastic surgery and we’re actually men and trannies. You don’t listen to the rumors.”

The resurfacing of these old interviews adds to the scrutiny Lively is facing during her current press tour for It Ends With Us. There are rumors about her having a feud with co-star Justin Baldoni, and fans have also criticized her for focusing more on promoting her floral fashion line and haircare line instead of discussing the film’s themes of domestic violence. Additionally, some fans accused her of showing “Regina George” behavior when she didn’t wear a bracelet a fan gave her on the red carpet.

As Blake Lively continues her press tour, it seems these controversies will keep swirling around her. Whether this will have a lasting impact on her career remains to be seen, but it certainly has people talking.

Source: Elle, Allure