YouTuber Lasizwe Dambuza has issued an apology for his Twitter post which many deemed offensive, due to his picture caption.
In the original post, the "Fake It Till You Make It" star is wearing light daytime makeup along with a black lace front wig, which he has done many times before.
However, this time around he captioned the post "If sis bhuti was a person", which received a backlash since many view "sis bhuti" as a derogatory phrase often used in townships to tease black gay men.
On Friday night, he posted an apology video where he said his aim was not to seek "attention" but to reclaim the phrase.
"To me when I was posted that image I was making a joke like I always do. But I have offended some people with that post and I received a few calls about that post especially my mentors."
He continued: "I was not being malicious or trying to seek attention or anything like that. If it came across like that. I'm really sorry and I'd like to apologise from the bottom of my heart."
Watch the video below:
I am sorry pic.twitter.com/GgLWchcSTH
— Lasizwe (@lasizwe) June 12, 2020
His apology received a mixed reaction. Members of the LGBTQI+ community were especially irked by the number of people, who aren't a part of the queer community, accepting the apology.
Was Lasizwe going to apologize if his "mentors" didn't call him?
— Sisa (@Titanbaddie) June 13, 2020
Every queer person on my tl was quoting that tweet telling him to delete it and why it's problematic but he only decides to accept it when a "mentor" says something? pic.twitter.com/7WAqPEi4Je
To all the straight people who are accepting Lasizwe’s apology pic.twitter.com/7na10UeVda
— Mpumz N. (@Mpumz_N) June 13, 2020
Lasizwe profits off making us the joke to straight people. He says all the things that straights wish they could
— Jama. (@ThisIsPalo) June 12, 2020
Reminds me of black comedians who used to ridicule black people to white audiences.
Okasalayo lasiwe did something a lot of other celebrities wouldn’t do which is to apologize.
Keep shining❤️❤️love and light. pic.twitter.com/5R5z2QdvGq
— @thegorgkaybee❤️💅 (@MabotaSihle) June 13, 2020
My bf thinks I’m a jerk for not seeing anything wrong with that post however I just really feel like as gay men, we’ve survived a lot of labels from homophobic heterosexuals even from other gay men and I’m not apologetic to injustice but labeling ourselves using words
— Ke Mo 1/2 Sotho 1/2 Pedi (@KaraboAngel_) June 13, 2020
straight people accepting this apology on here and white people forgiving bianca for being racist🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝 pic.twitter.com/joP5QuisAW
— mrs goolova (@buhle_mhlabeni) June 13, 2020
Lasizwe’s apology wasn’t meant for me. Ngaz’faka mina speaking from a place of privilege as someone who’s never been called “sis bhuti” before. IT IS that deep if it’s a trigger to someone.
— Samú (@SamkeloNdlovu) June 13, 2020
Ng’phaphile
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to diminish anyone’s experience with that word✌🏾🌈❤️