Macy Gray has responded to being labelled transphobic due to quotes from a new interview, saying her words were “grossly misunderstood”.

In a new interview on Piers Morgan’s TV show Uncensored, the singer was asked what she believed a woman was, during a debate about trans athletes.

“I’d say a human being with boobs,” she responded. You have to start there. And a vagina! That’s getting confusing.”

She then added: “Just because you go change your [body] parts, doesn’t make you a woman, sorry.

“Like if you want me to call you a her, I will, ‘cause that’s what you want, but that doesn’t make you a woman just ‘cause I call you a her and just because you got a surgery.”

After Morgan said that Gray may receive similar criticism from the trans community that has been levelled at J.K. Rowling, she replied: “But it’s the truth. And I don’t think you should be called transphobic just because you don’t agree with, you know… there’s a lot of judgement and throwing stones at people for just saying what it is.”

Criticism was then levelled at Gray from many online including London-based festival Mighty Hoopla, at which she performed last month.

The festival wrote: “We are extremely dissapointed by the comments made by Macy Gray on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored TalkTV.

“As an artist at our 2022 event, we would like to make it clear that we do not agree with the insensitive and transphobic statement she made.”

They added: “Trans people and their bodies are not up for debate, and cis TV personalities and the channels that hire them need to stop discussing them on air.

“Mighty Hoopla will always stand with our trans family.”

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In a since-deleted tweet, Gray responded to the criticism, saying (via Metro): “i got nothing but love for lgbt+ and transgender communities. i’ve been a supporter since day one and never a fake one.

“my statement on piers morgan was GROSSLY misunderstood. i respect everyone’s right to be whoever they wana be.”