Maren Morris, the beloved country star with a knack for speaking her mind, recently found herself in a feud with Brittany, the wife of fellow country artist Jason Aldean, over a transphobic joke. The controversy even caught the attention of Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who had some not-so-kind words for Morris during an interview with Brittany. But instead of letting it get to her, Morris decided to handle it in the best way possible – with a sense of humor.
In a playful move, Morris shared a headline from Carlson’s interview on her social media and captioned it, “#NewProfilePic.” It was her way of lightening the situation and responding to the insult she received on live television. And it seems like Morris wasn’t the only one finding the humor in it. Chrissy Teigen, a well-known personality, responded to Morris’s post, saying, “omgahhh the highest honor.” Even Cassadee Pope, who was also involved in the online spat, chimed in with laughing emojis and cheekily mentioned that the headline would make a great addition to Morris’s collection.
The feud began when Brittany posted a makeup video with a caption that caused quite a stir. She wrote, “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.” Morris, along with others in the country music community, called out the comment as transphobic. In response, Pope tweeted about the importance of inclusivity in beauty brands and how comparing a “tomboy phase” to someone’s desire to transition is not respectful.
Morris joined the conversation and expressed her agreement with Pope’s views. She tweeted, “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.” Her sassy and powerful response emphasized the need for compassion and understanding. But the saga didn’t end there. Brittany claimed her words were taken out of context and further defended her stance in an interview with Tucker Carlson, arguing that she was advocating for children’s well-being.
During her interview, Brittany raised concerns about allowing children to make life-changing decisions about their gender at such a young age. She stated that children should have loving parents who protect their innocence and suggested that age restrictions exist for activities like smoking, driving, serving in the military, and voting. This sparked a puzzling debate on transgender children.
It’s important to understand that being transgender means one’s gender does not align with the sex assigned at birth. Gender identity is not the same as gender expression, as illustrated by cases like a “tomboy” phase. Pre-pubertal transgender children often undergo a social transition, which includes changes like using a different name and pronouns or dressing in a way that aligns with their identity. However, medical interventions like puberty blockers or hormone treatments are generally not recommended until the child reaches puberty. Genital gender-affirming surgeries are also not advised until the individual is at least 18 years old.
Maren Morris has shown us that even in the face of criticism, a little humor can make a big difference. Her witty response to Tucker Carlson’s insults demonstrates her resilience and ability to rise above negativity. Let’s celebrate artists like Morris who use their platforms to stand up for what they believe in and bring attention to important social issues.
