More about: Azealia Banks

Azealia Banks has once again defended herself against accusations of homophobia, saying, "All my friends are gay, I am bisexual... So please... Stop."

The musician has long been an outspoken opponent of white privilege, misogyny and appropriation of black culture - but her tendency to refer to white men as "faggots" has prompted significant criticism.

Defending her use of the word to OutQ's Xorje Olivares earlier in the year, Banks said, "The fucking white gays try to fucking tear me apart, they're so evil. Sometimes I'll be like, 'Shut up faggot, shut up' and they'll be like 'OH OH OH MY GOD'."

When pushed to define the word, Banks said, "So for me, the word faggot came to me from my Mother, and it was never about a guy being gay. It was always just a man who hates women. That's what we call a faggot. You can be gay or straight. You can be a straight faggot, I know a lot of straight faggots. Faggots are men who want to bring women down, and just fuck with their heads, control them. Faggots are men who don't want you to be independent."

She continued, "I definitely think a lot of the time with the 'white gay media' – especially with female artists – in order for you to seem successful or seem feminine you have to desire their approval. I feel like a lot of times gay men can be way more misogynistic than even straight men. Even how they come to you picking at your hair, telling you you're fat, telling you all this other shit. Telling you how to be a woman. What the fuck do you know about being a woman? Like I understand that you're feminine and you're sassy and blah blah blah, but I didn't ask you." 

In a series of tweets over the weekend, Banks said, "Why do gay men think everything I post about being gay is about them?! GIRLS ARE GAY TOO. I LIKE VAGINAS."

Why do gay men think everything I post about being gay is about them?! GIRLS ARE GAY TOO. I LIKE VAGINAS.

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

And breasts and nipples and clits and things of the sort....... men always have to insert themselves in anything I say about homosexuality

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

It's really tiring having explain myself to people I'm not even talking to. Because of course I don't wanna piss off my fans

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

But for fucks sake........

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

Just give the Azealia banks is a homophobe thing a rest because I'm not. I have a transgender sibling. My whole life is gay

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

All of my friends are gay, I am bisexual.... So please... Stop.

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) July 3, 2015

Banks' most high profile use of the term "faggot" was back in 2012, when she referred to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who is gay, as a "messy faggot" on Twitter.

More about: Azealia Banks