Arts & Entertainment

Wendy Williams apologizes for telling gays to ‘stop wearing our skirts and heels’

Published

6 years ago

February 15, 2020

*Image courtesy The Wendy Williams Show*

Talk show host Wendy Williams has apologized after snarky comments she made on her program about gay men drew heavy backlash this week.

On Thursday’s episode of her popular talk show, the 55-year-old Williams was using her popular “Hot Topics” segment to discuss “Galentine’s Day,” an unofficial holiday made popular by the long-running sitcom “Parks & Recreation” which is centered around women celebrating the other women in their lives.

Noting applause from a few men in her audience, the host said, “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 then added, “I don’t care if you’re gay. You don’t get a [menstruation] every 28 days,” Williams added. “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.”

Her final remarks on the subject were the ones that sparked the most controversy however. Williams finished by saying, “And stop wearing our skirts and our heels. Just saying, girls, what do we have for ourselves?”

“Looky here now, gay men, you’ll never be the women that we are,” she concluded, “no matter how gay.”

Though her comments garnered some applause from the audience, home viewers were quick to chide the talk show host.

“Really?” one commenter wrote. “What sort of ignorance is coming out of your mouth regarding gay men wanting to be women!! Really Wendy?”

“That was really uncalled for,” said another. “Gay men do not want to be women.”

Another wrote, “You’re not the decider of who can be a woman. Every person gets to decide who they are.”

There were also a few positive comments, such as one from a woman who wrote, “Thank you for saying what we as women want to scream everyday. Let us have something.”

On Friday, the beleaguered Williams issued a videotaped apology.

“I’ll start by saying I apologize. I did not mean to offend my LGBTQ+ community on yesterday’s show,” the talk show host began. “I did not realize until I got home and I watched the second running of our show here in New York, and I always watch when I can to critique my delivery or the cameras, the lights, the audience, the camera.”

Saying her comments did not come from “a place of malice,” Williams continued, “I’m very persnickety about how I do my show and one thing that I can tell you right now is that I never do this show in a place of malice. I understand my platform with the community from first grade to intermediate school to high school to college to radio and now to TV. And I didn’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings. I’m just having a conversation.”

The popular host was visibly upset, holding back tears during the video. She went on to say she tries to “live and let live every day,” because “life is too short,” and admitted that her comments were “out of touch” before promising to “do better” in the future.

She concluded by saying, “I’m 55 years old, and maybe I sounded like your auntie, your mother, your big sister or somebody out of touch. I’m not out of touch, except for perhaps yesterday by saying what I said. So I deeply apologize and I deeply appreciate the support that I get from the community. I will do better. I appreciate you supporting me. Thank you.”

Williams’ video apology is below.

A message from Wendy. pic.twitter.com/aEpMvubJVJ
— Wendy Williams (@WendyWilliams) February 14, 2020

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FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Calendar

Calendar: March 27-April 2

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, March 27

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].

Saturday, March 28

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.

Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].

Monday, March 30

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Tuesday, March 31

Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite.

Wednesday, March 1

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Thursday, April 2

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Out & About

Celebrate cherry blossoms the drag way

Unconventional Diner hosts bingo party

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

The cherry blossoms are here. Celebrate at a unique event hosted by Unconventional Diner. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.

Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.

Tickets can be secured via Resy.

Sports

New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics

New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Michael K. Lavers

(Photo by Greg Martin; courtesy IOC)

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.

“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.

The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”

“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”

The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”

The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”

“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

(Video courtesy of the IOC)

Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.

Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.

President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.

“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.

An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.