Note from BW of Brazil: So once again, the funkeiro (funk singer) Nego do Borel finds himself in the middle of a controversy involving the LGBT community. I say once again because, several months back, LGBT activists took offense to Borel’s video “Me Solta” in which he appears in red high heels, a tight red crop shirt, blond hair and makeup, while sucking on a lollipop and kissing male model. As Borel is not gay, the video came across as an obvious attempt to appeal to “pink money”.
Well, it’s a new year and Borel must be thinking, “Damn! Not again!” The singer from Rio’s Morro do Borel Community, from which he took his name, has ruffled the feathers of the LGBT community once again, this time because of two words: “homem gato”, which in English can be loosely be translated a ‘hot man’. You see, Borel was responding to a comment made by a trans YouTuber who complimented him on his physique. The singer couldn’t have imagined what the usage of these two words would lead to in the following week.
Nego do Borel (white shirt) on stage as Anitta attempts to calm down crowd
Accused of transphobia, Nego do Borel booed at Anitta show
Anitta was also criticized in trying to defend her friend on the stage of the presentation, which happened on Sunday (1/20/)
By Thais Moura*
Nego do Borel has been attacked for his offensive comments about YouTuber and transsexual Luisa Marilac. On Sunday night (20/1), the funkeiro was booed when he went onstage of during the performance of Antta’s Bloco das Poderosas, in Rio de Janeiro.
Nego tried to sing “Você Partiu Meu Coração” next to the artist, but was received with boos by most of those present. Screaming “fora” (get out), he performed for three minutes, until Anitta asked to speak to the LGBT audience, that was making negative signals toward the funkeiro.
Nego do Borel being booed at Anitta’s Bloco das Poderosas HAHAHAHAHAHA I liked it 😂 – Gil Queiroz (@GilQueirozOf) January 21, 2019
At the end of the singer’s words, Borel’s Nego continued to be booed. “Whoever likes Borel’s Nego, scream,” he said. However, Anitta asked the artist to step down from the stage. “Calm down, he’ll learn,” she told the audience. On the internet, the singer was also criticized, being accused of “smoothing over” the situation for the funkeiro, that is, to minimize the problem.
The problem is not Anitta saying that she won’t abandon her friend, the problem lies in taking this friend (who was a transphobic just recently, after the “Me Solta” fiasco), to a show where the majority was LGBT.
Friendship is one thing, professional is another. She herself said this. – #AnittaIsOverParty
– this profile confronts the fascist (@fadafalsa) January 21, 2019
anitta called nego do borel to sing along with her in the rehearsal of her block where the audience is mostly lgbt + and still smoothed over coming out in his defense – Gui (@Aguinaldinho) January 21, 2019
Understand the controversy
It all began on the 12th of this month, when Luisa praised Nego do Borel in a photo posted by the funkeiro on the Instagram, in which he appears shirtless. The singer offended the transsexual by calling her “homem” (man).”
Nego do Borel was criticized harshly after calling Luisa Marilac “homem gato” (a fine man) on Saturday (1/12)
“Every day that passes you are more gato, man,” commented Marilac. “You’re a homem gato too. Congratulations, you must be full of gatas (fine women),” replied Nego. After being heavily criticized on social networks, including celebrities, he posted a video apologizing for the situation.
“Luisa, I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my comment. Really, I made a mistake, forgive me. It’s a way of mine that I’m trying to change gradually, we are changing, gradually polishing,” said the artist, in a video published on Instagram.
Note from BW of Brazil: As if the backlash over what people interpreted as “misgendering” weren’t enough, then the singer got the news that two other prominent artists who he expected would participate in the recording of his upcoming DVD, informed him that they would no longer be appearing in the recording.
After controversy, singers Ludmilla (left) & Luisa Sonza cancelled appearances w/Borel
After controversy, Ludmilla cancels DVD participation in of Nego do Borel
Luisa Sonza also gave up appearing on the DVD of the singer who is being accused of transphobia
By Thais Moura*
After being booed at Anitta’s show, Nego do Borel has lost yet another guest for the recording of his DVD. Now, it was singer Ludmilla’s turn to cancel her participation with the funkeiro. In her official profile on Instagram, on Monday (1/21), he confirmed that the singer would not be involved in his new work. Luisa Sonza, another singer who has been very successful recently, gave an interview to the YouTube channel of Matheus Mazzafera in which she spoke about her dropping out of appearing with the artist.
In a video published in the Stories do Instagram, Nego do Borel, accused of transphobia by the controversy with Luisa Marilac, apologizing once more for what happened. “I played with something very serious, I didn’t know how important it was, and today I know, I’m learning,” he said. “I wanted to thank, from the bottom of my heart, my sisters, Luisa Sonza and Ludmilla, who will not be able to participate in my DVD, but I super understand, it’s super tranquil,” he continued.
Through a video he clarified that Ludmilla and Luísa will not appear in the recording of his DVD on the 29th. Pic.twitter.com/mjEDkjoHt2 – LUDMILLA NEWS (@LudmillaNoticia) January 21, 2019
Among those still confirmed attractions for the recording are artists Felipe Araújo, Wesley Safadão, Kevin O Chris, Maiara and Maraisa and Matuê. Anitta went to social networks to confirm that she will also not be on the DVD.
She said she was invited, but chose to decline the invitation. “He invited me to his DVD and we had a long talk about it because I explained that the things he’s doing have nothing to do with who I am, he has not listened to me lately,” Anitta reported.
Remember the controversy
It all began on the 12th of this month, when Luisa praised Nego do Borel in a photo posted by the funkeiro on the Instagram, in which he appears shirtless. The singer offended the transsexual by calling her “homem” (man).” In response, the YouTuber pointed out that the comment was “hypertransphobic.”
“Every day that passes you are more gato man,” commented Marilac. “You’re a homem gato too. Congratulations, you must be full of gatas (fine women),” replied Nego. After being heavily criticized on social networks, including celebrities, he posted a video apologizing for the situation.
“Luisa, I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my comment. Really, I made a mistake, forgive me. It’s a way of mine that I’m trying to change gradually, we are changing, gradually polishing,” said the artist, in a video published on Instagram.
*The views expressed by Thais Moura are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the BW of Brazil blog
Source: Metropoles (1), Metropoles (2)
This whole thing is racial BS to me. People are only criticizing this guy because he’s Black, nothing more. What he said wasn’t even transphobic.