Terry Crews responds to backlash over tweets about raising kids without fathers
Terry Crews has apologized for statements that he made about raising kids without a mother and a father, and has continued to defend his point that children need father figures.
In this Sept. 25, 2017, file photo, Terry Crews attends the 2017 Fox Fall Party at Catch LA in West Hollywood, California. Image: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File
The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star said in a now-deleted tweet last Friday, March 1, “I’ve reiterated many times that same-sex couples and single parents can successfully raise a child.”
“But I believe paternal AND maternal love are like vitamins and minerals to humanity.”
Twitter user @jakesherondale reasoned, ”Love is not gendered. A child will not starve with only one gender loving them.”
He replied, ”But they will be severely malnourished.”
Wonder if any of the #BrooklynNineNine cast are going to address the disgusting things terry crews is tweeting pic.twitter.com/8znPusepOQ
— auguste (@astdelagrange) March 2, 2019
The tweets have been taken down after netizens argued that they were insensitive to children raised in LGBTQ+ and single-parent families.
“I apologize to anyone who was hurt by my ‘severely malnourished’ tweet. It was in response to someone who said kids wouldn’t ‘starve.’ It was poorly worded so I deleted it,” he said on Friday.
I apologize to anyone who was hurt by my “severely malnourished” tweet. It was in response to someone who said kids wouldn’t “starve”.
It was poorly worded so I deleted it.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) March 1, 2019
Crews addressed comments that argued about abusive fathers or fathers who leave families.
He said on Friday, “So all the Black kids growing up without dads or paternal love are just fine? So we just let all these dads off the hook?
“Just because women can do it all alone—and they have done an amazing job—does that mean they should?”
So all the Black kids growing up without dads or paternal love are just fine?
So we just let all these dads off the hook?
Just because women can do it all alone— and they have done an amazing job— does that mean they should?
— terry crews (@terrycrews) March 1, 2019
On Saturday, March 2, he made another post: “I have another very controversial statement to make, and I will since I’m ‘canceled’ anyway. As a human being there are things you can only get from your mother.”
I have another very controversial statement to make, and I will since I’m “canceled” anyway.
As a human being there are things you can only get from your mother.
— terry crews (@terrycrews) March 2, 2019
When Twitter user @halliwell said her father “psychologically tortured” her to the point of mental illness, the “America’s Got Talent” host said, “I’m so sorry that happened to you. That’s an abuser, not a father. I went through the same thing.”
I’m so sorry that happened to you. That’s an abuser, not a father. I went through the same thing. https://t.co/vxSEBZDKpF
— terry crews (@terrycrews) March 1, 2019
Others have come to his defense, including “Community” actress Yvette Nicole Brown who responded to a Twitter user who interpreted Crews’ statement that “women are not capable of raising children on their own.”
That is not what he said. And if you read to comprehend instead of to find offense you’d realize that. @terrycrews is a kind, principled, woke man who knows, respects and reveres the strength of every woman ESPECIALLY single moms. If you pay attention, you’d realize that. https://t.co/k8So0Ltx0J
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) March 3, 2019
Brown wrote on Sunday, March 3, “That is not what he said. And if you read to comprehend instead of to find offense you’d realize that. @terrycrews is a kind, principled, woke man who knows, respects and reveres the strength of every woman ESPECIALLY single moms. If you pay attention, you’d realize that.” /ra
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