When it comes to controversies of the year, few scandals have captivated the world's attention the way T.I. discussing his daughter's hymen has.
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T.I. Sets The Record Straight About Checking His Daughter's Hymen On 'Red Table Talk'
Which is understandable, because it was pretty shocking to hear a father discuss his 18-year-old daughter's sexuality on a podcast earlier this month.
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T.I. explained on the Ladies Like Us podcast that he accompanies his 18-year-old daughter Deyjah to her gynaecologist appointments.
When asked if he'd had the sex talk with his daughter, he explained he's taken his control to another level:
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"Not only have we had the conversation. We have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen," he said.
The backlash T.I. has faced for these comments has been severe.
In an effort to set the record straight, T.I. and his wife Tiny sat down with Jada Pinkett Smith on her talk show, "Red Table Talk."
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When describing what he calls "Hymen Gate" he said: "I think this surrounds a conversation I was having in a very joking manner. I just began to – from a place of truth – I began to embellish and exaggerate. I think people kinda took it extremely literal, because if you put any of my reputation… who I am as a father, who I been… I honestly thought people knew me better than that."
"Let me go set this record straight: I never said I was in any exam room. That was an assumption. I never said that it was being done present day, as an 18-year-old."
T.I. insisted that his daughter was okay with his presence at her appointments when she was 15 or 16: "There was never any objection. She did have a problem with me talking about it, however, and I understand that. I am incredibly apologetic to her for that. Not to any of these other strangers or any of these weirdos who, you know, just kinda toss lies around for fun. She understands my intentions and she knows who I am."
He continued, “I think that in the age or time where our women – black women – are the most unprotected, unattended, disregarded women on the planet… I’m being criticized because I’m willing to go above and beyond to protect mine. I’m talking about all of the little slimy, grimy, chubby-fingered little boys who want to just come and defile and destroy the sanctity.”
"To me I’m here to protect all of the children from themselves until they make it to a point where they have awareness, a sense of self, and discernment. Since she’s turned 18, I don’t have control of anything, it’s on you," he continued.
"Run, fly, be yourself. I’m not there to protect virginity, I just know that is a big move."
The response from viewers hasn't been good.
Many felt T.I. missed the point.
Others wished Jada's daughter Willow could have been involved in the discourse.
A second part of the interview will be released later on this month.
Watch the full interview here.
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