Gina Rodriguez Apologizes For Saying N Word

Photo: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP/Shutterstock.

Gina Rodriguez has issued a statement following the controversy of her singing the n-word in an Instagram story.

"In song or in real life, the words that I spoke, should not have been spoken. I grew up loving the Fugees and Lauryn Hill. I thoughtlessly sang along to the lyrics of a favourite song, and even worse, I posted it," Rodriguez said in a statement to Refinery29.

She continued:

"The word I sang, carries with it a legacy of hurt and pain that I cannot even imagine. Whatever consequences I face for my actions today, none will be more hurtful than the personal remorse I feel. Watching my own video playing back at me, has shaken me to my core. It is humiliating that this has to be a public lesson but it is indeed a much deserved lesson. I feel so deeply protective and responsible to the community of colour but I have let this community down. I have some serious learning and growing to do and I am so deeply sorry for the pain I have caused."

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This post was originally published on October 15, 2019.

On Tuesday, Gina Rodriguez recorded herself singing “Ready or Not” by the Fugees for her Instagram story. When she got to a lyric in Lauryn Hill’s verse which features the n-word, she sang along, angering fans who saw the move as disrespectful.

Twitter users immediately criticized the star, who is Latina, for her use of the word. Rodriguez has since deleted the video from her story.

Rodriguez posted an apology to Instagram in response to the backlash her video was receiving.

"I just wanted to reach out and apologize. I am sorry," she said later on her Instagram story. "I am sorry if I offended anyone by singing along to the Fugees, to a song I love, I grew up on. I love Lauryn Hill, and I really am sorry if I offended you."

Many on social media saw the video as a less-than-ideal apology.

her apology is so horrible. there is no IF, gina. you offended a whole group of targeted individuals. you’re RACIST. and the fact that it’s a song that you grew up with IS NOT an excuse. do better. use your head.

i am so sorry to all of the people she offended i don’t claim her
— rachel zegler (@rachelzegler) October 15, 2019

Gina Rodriguez has proven herself to be anti-Black on so many occasions. You could tell that she is use to saying the n-word just by the way the word rolled off her tongue. Her apology was bullshit too. Trash af.
— ✨ (@MJFinesseLover) October 15, 2019

Gina Rodriguez, a non-black actress said the n-word in an Insta story and her apology is half-assed too. YIKES! pic.twitter.com/r8hVRZ94Pl
— ✨ (@moonlitlover_) October 15, 2019

This “apology” is atrocious. pic.twitter.com/8bgbpqKoqM
— Jai (@jaidanielle) October 15, 2019

Is Gina Rodriguez okay? “I’m sorry if I offeded you” is not an apology.
‘I love lauryn hill, I grew up on her’ = I love nigga music so I can say the word. pic.twitter.com/6q0jkshJt0
— emma (@jmiah2911) October 15, 2019

A few people noted other instances of Rodriguez's behaviour that had been deemed contentious. Specifically, at a panel for Net-A-Porter in 2018, Rodriguez claimed that Black women are paid more than Latina performers in Hollywood when Sofia Vergara, who is Colombian, was the highest-paid actress that year. Black women are statistically underpaid in the entertainment industry. (It should be mentioned that she may have been speaking about a popular statistic on the wage gap between women of different ethnicities across all industries.)

Also on Tuesday, it was announced that Rodriguez is on the committee of Time's Up and Justice for Migrant Women’s collaboration The Latinx House, a new initiative to “create community, engagement and further opportunities for Latinx voices in and outside of Hollywood,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. She is joined on the committee by stars America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Diane Guerrero, and Karla Souza.

Refinery29 has reached out to Rodriguez for comment.

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