NeNe Leakes is facing backlash for transphobic remarks in her interview with Ts Madison. Here’s why the conversation hit a nerve…
NeNe Leakes built a career off of quick wit and cutting one-liners, but in 2025, that sharp tongue may have cut too deep. During a sit-down with Ts Madison on her talk show, Leakes veered into dangerous territory — framing her personal dating preferences in language that felt less like honesty and more like subtle transphobia.
The conversation, now making the rounds online, was supposed to be a candid discussion about dating, gender identity, and attraction. Instead, it revealed how even public figures who’ve long benefited from LGBTQ+ support can still perpetuate harmful microaggressions when they don’t fully understand the nuance of identity.
“I don’t want him”: The problem with preference as a shield
When Leakes said she wouldn’t date a man who had also dated a trans woman — and doubled down by suggesting such a man couldn’t be straight — the issue wasn’t just a “preference.” It was a loaded statement shaped by years of cultural bias, wrapped in a flippant delivery that ignored the broader implications.
What’s so harmful about that? It’s the same language that’s often used to invalidate trans women’s womanhood. Leakes’ phrasing — “He’s been with me and you?” — doesn’t just draw a line between cis and trans women. It reinforces the idea that trans women are somehow “other,” not women in the same way she is. That’s not just a misstep — it’s dangerous messaging from someone with a massive platform and a deeply loyal gay and trans fanbase.
Ts Madison deserved better — and she gave better
To her credit, Ts Madison didn’t react with hostility. She didn’t storm out or throw shade. She met Leakes’ comments with grace, nuance, and real education. When Madison explained that attraction to trans women doesn’t automatically make a man gay — that many men are pansexual, bisexual, or just… human — she offered a reality check that much of the internet agreed with.
“If you’ve dated men, there’s a possibility that he’s been with a man,” Madison reminded her — pointing to the broader truth that sexual histories are often complex, especially when shame and stigma force men to hide parts of themselves.
Microaggressions in queer spaces: The irony of it all
What stung for many fans wasn’t just what NeNe said — it’s where she said it and who she’s been saying it around for decades. Leakes has been a fixture in queer spaces, from drag brunches to Bravo reunions. She’s profited from LGBTQ+ culture, slang, aesthetics, and support — but moments like this show that proximity doesn’t equal understanding.
As one post on X bluntly put it: “NeNe being this ignorant about queer topics while constantly existing in queer spaces is gross. Pick up a mf book.”
Ts Madison’s Instagram response: A masterclass in poise
Madison later posted a clip of the interview on Instagram with a caption that served both as a thank-you and a gentle correction. “Difficult conversations” are necessary, she said, before laying out a series of “hard facts” — from the likelihood of men having diverse sexual histories, to the importance of not policing attraction based on outdated gender assumptions.
Among the many voices in her comments was DJ Honey Dijon, who wrote:
“We as women have so much more to offer and we are the ones keeping this planet together. All expressions of womanhood.”
Even Bronwyn Newport from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City weighed in, thanking Madison for calmly delivering “valuable and often misunderstood information.”
Why this isn’t just a one-off
This isn’t the first time a celebrity has fumbled a conversation about gender or attraction, and it won’t be the last. But we don’t fix that by brushing it off as “just her opinion” or chalking it up to generational gaps. We fix it by holding space for accountability — and for education.
NeNe Leakes didn’t need to be perfect in that moment. She just needed to listen.
POST A COMMENT