"Sis you identified as alien at one point": Jeffree Star they/them controversy explained as YouTuber's response intensifies backlash 

Jeffree Star has made his way back into the limelight as the influencer recently made comments on non-binary pronouns on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast. During his interview, Star suggested that pronoun culture has been born from people who are “bored,” especially during the pandemic. He said:

“You’re not ‘they’ and ‘them,’ You’re trans, you’re male, or you’re female.”

He also told podcast host, NFL player Taylor Lewan, that using they/them pronouns is just "an extra sh*t," adding:

“People get so mad when I say that. How are you they? What the f*ck does that mean? It’s stupid is what it is. But you need someone like me to say it. Because if you say it, it turns into you’re homophonic, you hate trans people, you hate gays. And you don’t hate anyone. You just think it’s stupid.”

However, Jeffree Star’s thoughts did not seem to sit well with netizens, as many went on social media to slam the YouTuber for his comments. One netizen tweeted:

“Sis you identified as alien at one point, idk if they/them is that hard to get."

However, Jeffree Star clapped back at the “alien” comment, and claimed that he was just being sarcastic about it. He said:

“An alien is a NOUN… and clearly I was being sarcastic when I said that. I honestly feel bad for how stupid some of these people are… I pray for them daily.”

The response further intensified backlash against Star:

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Netizens call out Jeffree Star as old video of the YouTuber discussing gender ambiguity surfaces online

As the whole controversy made its way on social media, the short 37-second clip of Star slamming they/them pronouns spread on the internet like fire.

At the same time, a few netizens dug out a 2017 video of the YouTuber, where he can be heard saying:

“Gender ambiguity can be found in makeup, fashion, s*xual identity, gender identity, anything.”

Many proceeded to quote the makeup guru and call him out on his current stance:

Several netizens also criticized Star for his response to the "alien" comment:

Furthermore, Jeffree Star's recent statements on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast sparked rage on many platforms, as social media users bashed the YouTuber for “hating nonbinary people.”

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How did Jeffree Star react to the backlash?

Star hopped on to social media and shared a tweet by a media house reporting his comments and claimed to stand by what he said during the podcast:

Furthermore, Jeffree Star also addressed the backlash in his Instagram stories, and said:

“For anyone who is making it seem like I said that non binary people do not exist - I never said that. Never said it. You’re putting words in my mouth. I said I don’t like the pronouns, and I don’t agree with them. I never said they don’t exist. I’m a part of the LGBTQ community. I’m bisexual, but I don’t like labels.”

However, after he went on Instagram to address the backlash and the negative comments, many pointed out that during the interview, he claimed that people are either male or female. Netizens claimed that Jeffree Star was now covering up what he said earlier to avoid negativity and criticism.