Actress and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan has apologized again for comments she made about transgender women.
In an interview with PinkNews, the 45-year-old star of Scream and the TV series Charmed offered contrite words. “I am profoundly sorry,” she says.
The controversy began in 2018 at a Barnes & Noble event. While promoting her memoir Brave, McGowan got into a heated exchange with a transgender woman. The woman confronted McGowan over comments she’d made on the Drag Race podcast What’s the Tee in 2017. McGowan had said that transgender women “could not relate” to the experience of cisgender women.
Related: Rose McGowan says Russian trolls are unleashing bots it used against Hillary on her
The Barnes & Noble event quickly turned into a shouting match between McGowan and the transgender woman in the audience, with McGowan shouting “I’m mad that you put s*it on me because I have a f*cking vagina and I’m white or I’m black or I’m yellow or I’m purple.” She also claimed that cisgender women are more likely to be the victims of rape or violence than transgender women.
McGowan faced harsh criticism for her words, and soon apologized to the queer community has a whole. Now, she’s become more pointed with her penance.
“I would like to say I’m sorry,” McGowan says in a video portion of the interview. “I didn’t have the correct language. I am, you know, an older woman from Hollywood. It’s not exactly the place for understanding the language…It’s just been a learning process and evolution. I’m here to say to people that are scared of trans-ness, we’re all women, we’re just different kinds of women and different kinds of men. There’s a huge spectrum to be had in that. And I think that’s a really beautiful thing.”
In 2018, McGowan set off a firestorm in Hollywood by accusing Oscar-winning producer Harvey Weinstein of rape. More than 90 other women subsequently come forward, adding their own accounts of misconduct by Weinstein ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
Jack Meoff
I think the only thing Rose is really sorry about is that her career is over.
Gilliflower
She might be sorry, who knows? Some people have a harder time with queerness than others. My family has evolved since my coming out. Later we found out I’m IS, and I’ve grown more open in response, so everyone’s still having to adjust. Therefore, I’m willing to cut people slack if they sincerely try. Part of Rose’s problem is that her internal struggle is extremely public.
jsmu
Yep. Pretty much.
jsmu
@Gilliflower: Oh, puhleeeeze. Some people are more virulently homophobic, atavistic, and tribalist than others. That doesn’t mean the rest of us need to suffer at their hands. Grow up.
broadshoulder
This is a situation you made Rose McGowan. Now its turned round and bit you
JessPH
Apologize for telling the truth? She’s right in saying that cis experience is different from trans experience. Moreover, cis women do get raped at a higher rate than trans women simply because most straight men are repulsed by the idea of having sex with trans women.
1898
not true. approximately 20% of cisgender women have been raped, compared to 47% of trans women
dinard38
@JessPH Your source? Because I’m not buying that.
Tallskin
Yeah 1898, what is your source for this nonsense?
I won’t hold my breath waiting for your reply
First thing one learns about twannies is they lie and lie and lie and lie and lie and lie
And lie and lie and lie and lie
And lie and lie and lie
They just cannot help lying and lying and lying
Brian
Whether an apology was needed is just an opinion. People will disagree on that.
But Jess, you’re wrong on the facts. Don’t lie to prop up your opinions. Be truthful. Any debate has to begin with truths.
Tallskin
Nice to see the re-education programme worked.
Now maybe she’ll come out with pro-trans bullsh*t as required ?
MarathonBoy
She was giving a talk about her personal experience with sexual abuse when a transgendered biological male interrupted her and screamed at her. But she is the one apologizing. /smh/
Latinoboy
I’m with you. Plus, is it me or is everyone always wasting their outrage on the wrong ppl? She apologized, very sincerely, which is more than can be said for some. I, for one, accept her apology, and thank her for her friendship to the lgbt community. This whole ‘outrage’ is just stupid; up there with the east coast/west coast beef of the rap com. in the 90’s, or the BLM people protesting a Pride parade in Toronto a few years ago (to which they had been INVITED as special guests, btw, just to add to the stupidity!). They halted the parade for a half hour until the lgbt leaders gave in to their ‘demands’. ??? Seriously?? It should be US protesting THEM, considering how small the support from the african-american group is for our cause, their being mostly ‘god-loving christians’ and all that. The same group targeted a Bernie Sanders rally! Where are all these outraged protesters where they’re needed? At every Trump/Pence rally? KKK rally? Evangelical haters rally?? They can’t be found anywhere near them. My point is, protest when its necessary, not against our friends, and not just because someone woke up on the wrong side of their tampons that morning. Sorry for the rant, but this constant bitching and moaning over NOTHING is really irritating, especially in light of all the REAL far-Right, ‘conservative’, ‘for the family’, religious (?) BS that’s out there and in danger of becoming policy, with all these Russian ass-kissers in the GOP these days. Peace!
Latinoboy
Sorry again, MarathonBoy, lol, this stuff just really pisses me off.
Dragyn
Rose McGowan should apologise for trying to act. And I know, Harvey Weinstein, among others, got overly personal, sure, but a few ppl say theyve been raped, molested, etc, and all of a sudden, dams burst, and everyidiot around has to grab a spot on the sheeple bandwagon. If you are gay, cop to it. Bi/ Own it. If I like a person, IDGAF what their choice is, as long as they are honest with self and me.Im bi, but y’all safe, I dont want anybody, or anything. Other than ppl to GROW UP.
mr guy
She’s been gaslighted AGAIN! The trans heckler she was made to apologise to was revealed to have been an A B U S E R who preyed on teen girls as has been documented online…but I guess “believe women” doesn’t trump the male privilege baked into TRA ideology
inbama
As with any other transcriminal, you’ll never find that story on any LGBT news site.
djmcgamester
Basically, Rose hates the entire SJW movement because she’s tired of having to tip-toe around people’s feelings. As if they matter.