Wendy Williams sparked the ire of many LGBTQ fans after going on a tear Thursday about men who wear skirts, heels and other gender-fluid styles.
Williams came under heavy criticism stemming from a “Hot Topics” discussion on her talk show about “Galentine’s Day,” an unofficial Valentine’s Day alternative introduced by the TV series “Parks and Recreation” and aimed at the celebration of female friendship.
“If you’re a man and you’re clapping, you’re not even a part of this,” Williams told the audience. “I don’t care if you’re gay. You don’t get a [menstrual period] every 28 days. You can do a lot that we do, but I get offended by the idea that we go through something you will never go through.”
. @WendyWilliams to LGBT community. “I get offended at the idea that we go through something you will NEVER go through.” Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/cuwYnGuOYz
— Ent. Discussion (@Ent_discussion) February 13, 2020
The host, however, didn’t stop there.
“Stop wearing our skirts and our heels,” she continued. “Girls, what do we have for ourselves? You’ll never be the woman that we are, no matter how gay!”
“Oh, Wendy. Your homophobia is showing,” one person said. Added another: “I love you, I really do but if you’re telling us to stop wearing ‘y’all skirts and heels,’ then give us back our ‘Yasss’ and gay slang you use on your talk show everyday.”
Others were even more critical.
.@WendyWilliams, some friendly reminders:
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) February 13, 2020
1. Many cis women would be offended by having their womanhood reduced to a skirt and heels + menstruation.
2. I don't menstruate. I do wear a skirt and heels. Both are independent of me being a woman.
3. Let people wear what they want. https://t.co/HrtIb1cuH0
Y’all remember when Wendy Williams got coin to do that awful Drag Race commentary during the commercial breaks? 😅 Now she sayin that gay men should “stop wearing our skirts and our heels?” 🤷♀️ #blessthismess @WendyWilliams
— Kelly Mantle (@thekellymantle) February 13, 2020
Gays obsessed with @WendyWilliams is on our team: SHE. IS. NOT. Drop her. She's toxic. https://t.co/iX7hS6gmfX
— Boy Culture Blog (@mattrett) February 13, 2020
Several people pointed to the likes of “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness and “Pose” actor Billy Porter, both of whom have rocked high heels, skirts and other gender-fluid fashions on red carpets around the world to great acclaim.
A “Wendy Williams Show” representative did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Williams, of course, is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year, she apologized to the cleft community after appearing to mock actor Joaquin Phoenix’s lip scar.
In 2018, she proclaimed she was “sick” of the Me Too movement, telling her viewers, “I look at all men like, ‘You’re a ‘Me Too.’ All of them. All of them, which is not fair.”