British musician Lee Ryan has found himself having to defend himself, once again, after an exchange on Instagram last week has many calling him homophobic and transphobic. The argument started after Ryan, who is a member of the boy band Blue, started “joking” about gender identity posting,
‘I might start identifying myself as an alien / star / seed / indigo child. Anything but human. Please respect my wishes.’
One of Ryan’s 173,000 followers took issue with that statement asking him,
‘Do you think this is a bit insensitive to your fans that do choose to identify as something outside of the gender binary?
The comment – written by drag queen Layla Zee Susan – must have rubbed Ryan, who identifies as bisexual, the wrong way. He quickly launched into a tirade against Susan, whose real name is Sammy Shepherd. The screenshots of the DM’s between Susan and Ryan are hard to read as Ryan is relentless in his verbal attack.
In the exchange seen above, Lee threatens to slap her in the face and calls Susan a c*nt mulitple times at one point saying,
‘Yes I am you insignificant c**t. I said nothing about gay or bi or anyone. You mug. ‘You’ve started on me for talking about not liked humans. You’re the reason you nasty little c**t. What a shame, very sad.
After the exchange, Shepherd filmed and posted his response, out of drag, thanking his followers for their support and asking them to spread positivity and light.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CRPMiVDnNtZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Ryan answered back defending himself, his behavior and his character telling The Sun,
I normally ignore things like that but it’s like somebody calling me racist when I’m not. Duncan’s constantly dressing in drag, he’s gay, Blue has a big [gay] following – so this really upset me. ‘I’m bisexual and my bandmate is gay – I would never disrespect anyone like that.
Ryan also added,
Some of my best friends are gay. I didn’t say one thing about him being in drag.’
Since this spat Ryan has been using his Instagram platform to raise awareness and money for the Spratley Charity Foundation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRWRkPhos7y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sincere? Or public relations crisis management? I guess either way money is being raised for people who need it…
So what do we think Instincters? Does Lee Ryan get a pass for a heated moment? Was Layla Zee Susan a keyboard troll? Sound off in the comments below.
*This post contains opinions of this writer and may not reflect those opinions of the magazine or other writers on the Instinct staff.
Sources: Daily Mail, The Sun
I find it amusing that she tells him he needs to educate himself after she says “a bit insensitive to your fans that do choose to identify….”
I dunno, sounds like that Queen just wanted to take a dump on someone to boost her Instagram followers. Such a non-issue for everyone else.
Lee is a complete nobody and a park whore. Must be a slow news day.
A park whore? Please tell me which park? Hampstead Heath?
Lee did nothing wrong, the little drag Queen is being sad pathetic thing
100% behind Lee