T.I. is one of those rappers I really want to root for, but then he keeps talking.
The father and husband who often takes to Instagram to advocate for Black people who have been disenfranchised is often the same man making light of cheating and publicly being disrespectful to his wife.
Well, he took it a step pass disrespect on the Tuesday episode of the Ladies Like Us podcast, when he bragged that he goes with his 18-year-old daughter Deyjah Harris to the gynecologist every year to make sure her hymen is “still intact.”
“Not only have we had the conversation — we have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen,” T.I. said. “Yes, I go with her.”
The rapper was referring to a form of virginity testing that has been widely condemned by the medical community.
“Idk who needs to hear this but virginity is a made-up social construct, and it has absolutely nothing to do with your hymen,” Planned Parenthood tweeted Nov. 6.
The sexual health nonprofit also said in a thread of tweets following the rapper’s words:
“Some people just naturally have hymens that are more open. And many other activities besides sex can stretch your hymen — like riding a bike, doing sports, or putting something in your vagina (like a tampon or finger). Once your hymen is stretched open, it can’t grow back.”
T.I. apparently knew at least that much because in sharing his daughter’s personal information he said, laughing:
“Look doc, she don’t ride no horses, she don’t ride no bike, she don’t play no sports, man, just check the hymen please and give me back my results, expeditiously.”
The “Whatever You Like” rapper also admitted to having his daughter’s hymen checked as early as 16 years old.
“Right after the birthday, we celebrate…usually the day after the party, she’s enjoying her gifts, I put a sticky note on the door, ‘Gyno, tomorrow, 9:30,'” T.I. said on the podcast.
Although Deyjah allegedly signed paperwork granting her father approval to receive her medical information, the young woman liked multiple tweets from social media users defending her.
Some of them included:
“I hope your truly ok. Him telling the world your personal business medically and your choices as a woman to do or not do a personal and special moment in your life is never right.”
“this is disgusting, possessive and controlling *whew*”
“That is just beyond possessive”
Other Twitter users whose messages didn’t garner likes from Deyjah included multiple celebrities and women’s rights advocates.
“People would rather restrict women than instruct boys. Hymen checks and burkas,” Judge Lynn Toler tweeted Friday.
“def did not think we would be talking about hymens today. or TI,”model Chrissy Teigen tweeted Wednesday.
“Really I wish the women who interviewed him would have said something to him. He has serious control issues with women in all aspects of his life & needs therapy,” rapper Iggy Azalea, who has famously collaborated with T.I. tweeted and deleted.
Hosts of the now-infamous podcast, Nazanin Mandi and Nadia Moham, released a much-appreciated statement apologizing for their response to T.I.’s comments.
“To everyone confused, angry and hurt by the recent episode of Ladies Like Us, we want to apologize for our knee jerk reaction to the uncomfortable topic,” Mandi and Moham said in the joint statement posted on both women’s social media accounts. “We were completely caught off guard/shocked and looking back, we should have reacted much differently in the moment.
“The comments that were made and the reaction that followed are not in any way a reflection of our personal views on the topic. We support and love women and feel that their bodies are theirs to do as they wish.”
Mandi and Moham also had the episode removed.
And while some have taken to social media to bash them for how they handled the interview, we won’t be blaming women for a man’s words around these parts.
We also won’t be blaming Deyjah for allegedly giving her father consent. Some of y’all are apparently about that too.
There is one person and one person alone responsible for what comes out of T.I.’s mouth – TIP.
He can sign as many petitions and advocate for as many black men as he wants. But until he truly stands up for black women and changes his a– backwards thinking, I’m good on T.I.
Don’t worry. I’ll wait.