By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
(L-R) NeNe Leakes; Ts Madison
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum disclosed that she wouldn't date a man who also dates trans women.
The Real Housewives of Atlantaalum and overall Bravolebrity NeNe Leakes recently dropped a new episode of her online talk show in which she interviewed Ts Madison. However, as the two women approached the topic of dating — and discussed Madison's trans identity — Leakes got into some hot water for revealing she wouldn't date men who date trans women.
Leakes's reasoning? She doesn't consider those men to be straight.
Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment — delivered three times a week straight (well…) to your inbox!
During one point of the interview, Madison explained to Leakes that she doesn't date gay men.
"You know, when you guys be saying that, that's weird," Leakes responded. "Because what do you mean you don't date gay men? Because if he sleeping with you, and sleeping with a woman, he something."
Madison argued that this hypothetical man wouldn't automatically be gay for being attracted to women who are trans. However, Leakes insisted that he would have to be bisexual. "If a man comes in here and he looks at me and you… Well, he likes women," Madison told the Real Housewives star.
Leakes continued to reiterate opinions that many fans are calling "transphobic." For instance, the RHOA star argued that men wouldn't know that Madison is trans. "And if he does know, he likes women," Madison replied. "He could be bi, or he could be pan[sexual]. A lot of men are paying, but they don't say anything."
In response, Leakes said that she wouldn't be with a man who's been with a trans woman. "I don't want to run into them. I don't want to date them," Leakes went on to say. "The man gonna be sleeping with me and you? I don't want to talk to him no more. Why the hell you going to sleep with me then going to sleep with you? I don't want him. I'm over it."
Madison continued to approach the conversation with a level head and said, "Nene, if you've dated men, there's a possibility that he's been with a man."
The conversation was posted to social media and Leakes was heavily criticized for the way she handled the conversation, as well as her stance. "NeNe being this ignorant about queer topics while constantly existing in queer spaces is gross," one person wrote in an X post. "Pick up a mf book."
Madison posted the clip on her Instagram, thanked Leakes for having a "difficult conversation" with her, and laid out some "hard facts."
The RuPaul's Drag Race judge wrote, "If you are a female that's dated multiple men in your life, it's a possibility that one of those men have experienced something you may deem 'gay.'" Madison subsequently wrote six other bullet points relevant to this conversation. As a result, Madison received a lot of support in her comments section.
"Thank you for bringing this to the light. For me, personally, I will be so happy when men's desires and male validation are not centered around happiness," DJ Honey Dijon wrote in a comment. "We as women have so much more to offer and we are the ones keeping this planet together. All expressions of womanhood."
Bronwyn Newport from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City left a comment saying, "I so appreciate you calmly continuing this conversation. You put out needed, valuable and often misunderstood information."
Moises Mendez II is a culture journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. He covers internet culture and entertainment including television, movies, music, and more. For the last two years, he was a Culture Reporter at TIME Magazine. Before that, he was a freelance journalist and his work has appeared in The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, and more. Moises holds a master's degree in Arts and Culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
Moises Mendez II is a culture journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. He covers internet culture and entertainment including television, movies, music, and more. For the last two years, he was a Culture Reporter at TIME Magazine. Before that, he was a freelance journalist and his work has appeared in The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, and more. Moises holds a master's degree in Arts and Culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
