Bethenny Frankel is under fire for comments made during a conversation during her podcast about gender, identity, and pronouns. More specifically, it's her opening segment about a Zoom meeting for her 11-year-old daugthers' school that is getting harsh criticism.
"We have to go into the fact that I did a Zoom for my daughter's school and [had] the pronouns conversation with each teacher, each parent, each child," she said. "And my daughter says in school, too, that everybody has to say their pronouns."
"And my daughter didn't even know what hers were, and I can't even blame [her], I know what I am or what I think I am, but I have never said it out loud — it hasn't come up for me — and so she said she didn't know exactly how to say it, someone said it before her," Frankel continued.
She then launched into a conversation about stories she heard about summer sleepaway camps, also noting that her daughter never attended any.
"It's an all-girls camp and a person with a penis, who identifies as being a girl, went to the camp and was in the bunk with the girls. And the girls saw her — because it's her, because it's a male anatomy but identifying as a woman — so the other girls saw a penis," she said.
Frankel continued, "the parents obviously weren't that happy" and added that she heard "this girl with a penis was making out with a lot of different girls at the camp."
She also commented on trans athletes in sports, even questioning whether it is "fair" and suggesting that the sports be graded "on a curve." Additionally, she implied that gender and sexual identity could just be “a phase."
She later noted that her daughter is "amazing" when it comes to the topic of gender identity.
"My daughter understands all of this, it's amazing, they have different language, different understandings, but she also hasn't seen a penis. So, in a camp, she'd see girl parts so I think these conversations are also fluid," she said.
After her podcast aired, the Bravo star was slammed online for the offensive comments.
However, Frankle stood by her words and refused to apologize for offending anyone.
Listen to the podcast. Then comment. I was absolutely not wrong. And I’m going to discuss this again this week. Thankfully I have a platform to clarify what the media loves to distort. @justbpodcast ps. I’m not afraid of cancelation so not afraid of charged discussions. https://t.co/FDVsKUCWan
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) September 28, 2021
"I was absolutely not wrong. And I'm not going to discuss this again this week. Thankfully I have a platform to clarify what the media loves to distort. @justbpodcast ps. I'm not afraid of cancelation so not afraid of charged discussions," she wrote on Twitter in reply to a listener who shared, "This is a time to learn, Bethenny. Humility can be a good thing. Doesn't mean you're weak. You were wrong with your comments."
Then when Frankel wrote "@PageSix says I'm transphobic so it must be true…" another fan responded, "B not a good way to apologize. Your intro to the podcast WAS offensive. Let's learn something here."
Not apologizing….so don’t hold your breath. I didn’t do a single thing wrong. People need to be able to have discussions without fearing the cancelation citations you get excited to give. Wrong celeb. Find someone afraid to troll.
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) September 28, 2021
"Not apologizing….so don't hold your breath," Bethenny responded back. "I didn't do a single thing wrong. People need to be able to have discussions without fearing the cancelation citations you get excited to give. Wrong celeb. Find someone afraid to troll."
Another Twitter user, who identifies as LGBTQ+ said Frankel's "transphobic" words did "damage."
"I didn't do one thing wrong," the Big Shot with Bethenny star then said. "Conversations are healthy. Try it. Doubling down. I'm not a celeb who panics in fear of cancelation Bc I didn't say something precisely how you needed to hear it. I don't have a transphobic bone on my body so take it elsewhere. Watch handmaids tale."
"You are a straight woman, I am a gay woman," the same user replied. "How about YOU try having a conversation about why your words were extremely hurtful. I have tweeted you many times thanking you for your humanitarian work. You missed the mark on this. Admit it, learn and try harder. Like we all do."