What did Bill Maher say? 'Real Time' host's remarks on LGBTQ+ kids sparks debate online

On Friday, May 20, comedian and HBO political talk show Bill Maher stirred much controversy after he addressed the gender reassignment of children and the growth of the LGBTQ+ community. The host expressed his opinion that children identified as transgender owing to the trend of coming out.

During his New Rule segment of the show, Maher cited a recent poll by Gallup, which stated an exponential growth in individuals who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The 66-year-old New York native further referred to the poll results and said that people should be able to ask:

"What's up with that?"

Maher also joked that in the recent past, when adults asked children about what they wanted to be when they grew up, "they meant what profession."

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Bill Maher's opinion on LGBTQ+ children and their transition to other genders

In his segment, controversial talk show host Bill Maher said:

"Never forget childen are impressionable and very, very stupid. A boy who thinks he's a girl maybe is just gay – or whatever 'Frazier' was, noting that being a girl doesn't mean you have to act like a Kardashian. And maybe, if life makes you sad, 'There are other solutions than hand me the d*ck saw.'"

Later, Maher added:

"I understand that being trans is different, it's innate. But kids do have phases. Kids are fluid about eveything. If they know at age 8 what they wanted to be, the world would be filled with cowboys and princesses. I wanted to be a pirate. Thank God no one scheduled me for eye removal and peg leg surgery."

Maher expressed his concerns with puberty blockers that are given to transitioning transgender teens. He also spoke about the long-term health effects like issues with bone density, fertility, and more that come with these transitions. The host added:

"We're literally experimenting on children."

The Real Time with Bill Maher star also claimed that in the upcoming Pride parade in New York, reportedly no homosexual men were considered for the role of Grand Marshalls in the event. He further explained:

"That's where we are now – gay men are not hip enough for a Gay Pride parade. Gay is practically CIS, and CIS is practically Mormon."

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Netizens remain conflicted over Bill Maher's comments about LGBTQ+ children

Following his dividing statements, Maher's opinion on the episode of Real Time sparked much debate online. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) responded to Maher's claims via a series of tweets on May 21. They wrote:

"It's disingenuous to say you are simply "asking questions," and then provide inaccurate answers that parrot anti-trans activists seeking to harm trans people. Parents who listen to their kids, doctors, and every major medical association, know more than comedians like Bill Maher."

Similarly, numerous others called out Maher and labeled his opinion as insensitive towards the youth of the LGBTQ+ community. In March, the host received similar criticisms for voicing his objections about the outcry on Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill.