Lorde Likens Being Friends with Taylor Swift to Having a Friend with Autoimmune Disease

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).

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.

But, not everyone was so quick to vilify Lorde. 

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.

Related: 
Lorde at 20 vs. Me at 20: A Definitive List of Why She’s Actual #Goals
Did Taylor Swift Just Pull the Pettiest Move Ever?
Taylor Swift’s New Romance and More Fresh Celeb Couples to Ship Immeds