Lorde, certified Swift squad member and new mother to second album Melodrama, just jammed her foot into her mouth by comparing being friends with famous celebs like Taylor Swift to having a friend with an autoimmune disease. In an interview with The Guardian published on June 17, Lorde spoke about the challenges of maintaining friendships with really famous people like Swifty, saying “It’s like having a friend with very specific allergies. There are certain places you can’t go together. Certain things you can’t do.”
“There are these different sets of considerations within the friendship,” she continued. “It’s like having a friend with an autoimmune disease.” Pardon? The challenges of figuring out how to gallivant with your v. famous pal without getting hounded by paparazzi is the same as having a bestie born with a disease like lupus, multiple sclerosis or any of the more than 100 life-altering autoimmune disorders that a reported 50 million Americans alone live with? *Face palm*
Needless to say, many people swiftly pointed out how problematic the statement was, namely because those coping with autoimmune diseases have no choice in the matter, whereas Lorde’s friendship with T-Swift is something she entered into willingly and likely doesn’t come with painful, debilitating physical side effects (we assume).
#iHeartRadio @lorde @taylorswift13 Not to be ‘that’ person. Plz don’t comp friend to autoimmune disease–unchosen-yet have 2 suffer with
— Queen of Dolce (@PeaceLoveDolce) June 20, 2017
Hey @lorde . I’m guessing having a famous friend like @taylorswift13 is NOTHING like having an autoimmune disease.
-A Lupus Warrior— Caitlin Johnson (@CallMeCaity91) June 20, 2017
Critics were also quick to bring Selena Gomez—fellow squad member who revealed her diagnosis with chronic autoimmune disease Lupus in 2015—into the convo.
I wonder how @selenagomez feels about this. What an incredibly ignorant analogy to make @lorde. pic.twitter.com/McbWd058DW
— Stephanie Marie (@stefinitely85) June 19, 2017
Selena might just not be that happy about this blurt having lupus herself. #justathought
— Mónica Provera (@Lynaila) June 19, 2017
But, not everyone was so quick to vilify Lorde.
I have an autoimmune disease & her comparison here is so on pointe. She’s not minimizing anything! Having to apologize is ridiculous to me. https://t.co/H5HXb9mVdN
— Julie S. Lalonde (@JulieSLalonde) June 20, 2017
Lorde has since apologized, calling her comments insensitive. “I f-cked up & that was really insensitive. I’m sorry,” she tweeted. For the most part, fans seem to be forgiving Lorde’s misstep.
Thanks for apologizing girl as the gr8 Hannah Montana said “everybody makes mistakes” glad u acknowledged it
— molly (@1989sheerans) June 20, 2017
I love Lorde immensely, but she did fuck up. Don’t be blinded by your fave, ever. Also, she apologized gracefully! Good on ya, Lordie mwah
— Broken Heroine (@kevinmise) June 20, 2017
Related:
Lorde at 20 vs. Me at 20: A Definitive List of Why She’s Actual #Goals
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