Wendy Williams criticized for her comments regarding men wearing skirts, apologizes for her remarks

On the Thursday February 13 episode of The Wendy Show, Wendy Williams didn’t seem to approve of gender-fluid fashion.

The talk show host has come under fire (once again) for one of her patented hot takes, this time opposing the trend of men exploring traditionally-female styles.

Speaking to her audience about ‘Galentine’s Day’, the Valentine’s alternative from Parks & Recreation where women celebrate their friendships instead of romantic pairings, Williams went a bit off-topic when men applauded.

“If you’re a man and you’re clapping, you’re not even a part of this. You don’t understand the rules of the day. It’s women going out and getting saucy and then going home. You’re not a part,” she admonished her co-hosts. “I don’t care if you’re gay. You don’t get a [menstruation] 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.”

“And stop wearing our skirts and our heels,” Williams added. “Just saying, girls, what do we have for ourselves? Looky here now, gay men, you’ll never be the women that we are, no matter how gay.”

The comments were met with immediate criticism:

Okayyyyy that was really uncalled for @WendyWilliams . Gay men do not want to be women.

— Jay Jay (@Ur_gay_bestfran) February 13, 2020

#WendyWilliams You're so rude to your audience, you don't realize that most famous heel designers are men ??? lol

— Sarah (@lindaserpiente) February 13, 2020

@WendyWilliams let the gays wear their skirts and heels they are the reason you look good when you step out on your stage

— Jazell Barbie Royale (@BarbieJazell) February 13, 2020

#WendyWilliams going on an anti #trans rant for no good reason. Whining about periods as though periods are what's most important about women. Sorry, Wendy. You're not the decider of who can be a woman. Every person gets to decide who they are. Your input is not welcome.

— Risa Pappas (@RisaPappas) February 13, 2020

@WendyWilliams supm in your tea this morning… ppl are allowed to wear whatever they want .. don’t act dumb

— Jason's Lyric (@JRzthoughts) February 13, 2020

@WendyWilliams If you dont like seeing men dressing up like women then i dont like women trying to be like us stop playing sports stop drinking beer stop wearing sweat pants stop using deep voices #women vs #men #incels #proud

— Jason (@ThePlaymaker06) February 13, 2020

Wendy Williams, DAMN! She’s trying to cancel herself. A day after crying about Zaya, she says gay men need to stop wearing heels and skirts and then to bring up that they’ll never have a cycle is just disgusting, especially after yesterday’s show.

— Marcus (@MarcusUntrell92) February 13, 2020

@WendyWilliams really? What sort of ignorance is coming out of your mouth regarding gay men wanting to be women!! Really Wendy?

— SanHer (@herrera139) February 13, 2020

Following the backlash, Williams released a tearful YouTube video explaining that she hadn’t realised what offence she had caused until she got home and rewatched the show.

“I’m very pernickety about how I do my show, and one thing I can tell you right now is that I never do the show in a place of malice.”

She acknowledged that part of her success is owed to the LGBT+ community which has supported her since her days as a radio “shock jockette”. “I understand my platform with the community. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings, I’m just having a conversation. If you know me long enough then you know.”

Williams said that she lives by the motto “bon vivant”.

Bon vivant translates roughly to “good living”.

The 55-year-old acknowledged that in criticizing the LGBT+ community, she “maybe sounded like your auntie, your mother, your big sister or somebody out of touch”.

“I’m not out of touch,” she insists. “Except for perhaps yesterday by saying what I said.”

Signing off, Williams said: “I deeply apologise and I deeply appreciate the support that I get from the community. I will do better.”

Williams’ followers were quick to accept the apology, with one noting: “The fact Wendy is apologising says a lot ’cause she never apologises for anything.”

Another added: “I wasn’t offended. I know darn well who Wendy is and I would never think she was a homophobe. Save that energy for people that actually are, like Rush Limbaugh.”