Gina Rodriguez apologizes following backlash for saying the N-word
A video which Gina Rodriguez shared on her Instagram Stories is sparking backlash — because it sees the Jane the Virgin star repeating a racist slur.
Rodriguez posted the clip on Tuesday. In it, she’s having her hair and makeup done as she raps along to the 1996 Fugees track “Ready or Not.” The actress, who is of Puerto Rican descent, follows Lauryn Hill’s lead as she repeats these lyrics: “I can do what you do, easy, believe me / Fronting n****s give me heebie-jeebies.” She then laughs and appears to look over at her makeup artist.
Rodriguez — who has faced accusations in the past about being “anti-black,” which she tearfully denied during an appearance on Sway in the Morning in January — soon came under fire for repeating the N-word. Some critics claimed that this, coupled with her remarks about pay equality and race in a November 2018 interview with Porter, revealed a pattern of problematic behavior regarding black people. African-American celebrity gossip site Bossip even dubbed the voice of Netflix’s Carmen Sandiego “Carmen Klandiego” in response.
we got gina rodriguez saying the n word on camera after she’s said anti black statements.... she’s over pic.twitter.com/eQcFzEXPJV
— mysterio apologist (@captnbrie) October 15, 2019
you're gina rodriguez. you were just accused of anti-black racism earlier this year. you cried defending yourself.
do you pic.twitter.com/qtWvvytWcF— Steadman? (@AsteadWesley) October 15, 2019
Black women BEEN telling y'all Gina Rodriguez was an anti-Black problem.
Shouldn't have taken her to say the n-word before y'all woke up.
But go off.— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) October 15, 2019
just can’t get over how gina rodriguez has a whole video of her crying because people were accusing her of being anti black and now she’s come out and said the n word..what’s wrong with that girl😭😭pic.twitter.com/E1yVdXP4l3
— milly (@ncbrina) October 15, 2019
Nobody, And I do mean nobody, Loves saying “n*gga” more than a person who will never be called one or protect one.
Gina Rodriguez probably says it 3 times and clicks her heels before every interview. The anti-Black jumped out!— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) October 15, 2019
A few hours after the clip went up, Rodriguez deleted the video and posted a new one apologizing to those offended, though she didn’t specifically reference the slur.
“I am sorry if I offended anyone by singing along to the Fugees, to a song I love, that I grew up on,” she said. “I love Lauryn Hill and I really am sorry if I offended you.”
Gina Rodriguez just posted an apology for saying the n-word her Instagram Story earlier today.
“I am sorry if I offended anyone by singing along to the Fugees, to a song I love that I grew up on. I love Lauryn Hill.” pic.twitter.com/QGhIR0wkHb— Jenna Amatulli (@ohheyjenna) October 15, 2019
It’s the second time this year the Someone Great star — who just announced her involvement in a Latinx partnership with Time’s Up — has defended herself against accusations of racism.
“The black community was the only community I looked towards growing up,” she told Sway in the Morning in January in response to the “devastating” backlash she received after arguing that black women are paid more than Latinas. “We didn’t have many Latino shows and the black community made me feel like I was seen, so to get ‘anti-black’ is to say I’m anti-family. My father is dark-skinned. He is Afro-Latino … It’s in my blood. So it was really devastating to me. And I know my heart. I know what I meant. I really wish that we weren’t living in a culture where we’re clickbait because I’ve never said anything controversial about anybody.”
That statement, however, fell flat with many critics.
Here's Gina Rodriguez crying because she's been rightfully called anti-black pic.twitter.com/6YcX4AO7jT
— one called me mayonnaise boy (@danielleisback_) January 23, 2019
So, it seems, has her apology for the N-word gaffe.
PSA: "I'm sorry if I offended you" is not an apology. It doesn't acknowledge any wrongdoing or convey contrition in any way. Instead, it places the burden of responsibility on someone else's *potential* feelings while attempting to remove yourself from impact. #ginarodriguez
— David L. Morgan (@DavidLeonMorgan) October 15, 2019
Gina Rodriguez wins the award for the most half assed apology of 2019 pic.twitter.com/9DaHmJm1Q0
— Patrick (@StLeprechaunPat) October 15, 2019
what kind of whack apology ... gina rodriguez said don’t worry guys I have the pass because i grew up on lauryn hill pic.twitter.com/EJRe8d9KaX
— a chicken on her last legs (@lNTHERAlN) October 15, 2019
Some fans did come to her defense, arguing that she was merely repeating a rap lyric. Others appreciated her apology and felt it was time to move on.
She was singing along to a song. And also apologized. How are people so sensitive?
— wolves🌙 (@onlywantgomezz) October 15, 2019
I don't think you should be apologizing 🙄. At the end of the day you didn't write those lyrics
— Sky.? (@PrinceMkhize8) October 15, 2019
She apologized, next caller
— Kathy Kilpatrick (@KatKillaLove) October 15, 2019
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