Jess Glynne has issued an apology after she used an 'unacceptable' transphobic slur during an interview.
The singer made an appearance on comedian Mo Gilligan's podcast last week, where she told a story about a transgender strip club and how one of her companions did not enjoy being there.
Speaking to Gilligan, Glynne said she arrived at a 'tr***y strip club thing'.
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After the podcast went out, she was met with a large backlash on social media where she was condemned for using the slur.
One person wrote: "Jess Glynn's casual use of a transphobic slur just confirms yet again what I think about people who can casually use slurs like that. You can tell it's part of their normalised vocabulary because the way she was too ready to use that word without even blinking."
While another said: "The Jess Glynne video is double trash. There's the slur of course - and the punchline of the whole story in which she uses the slur is that she takes a (presumably) straight/homophobic man to a queer safe space and how funny it is for her to see his reaction. She can get to f***."
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Now, Glynne has issued an apology in which she said that using the word was 'unacceptable'.
In a lengthy statement she shared on Instagram, she wrote: "I want to address my appearance on the @mothecomedian podcast, when a story I told caused massive and righteous offence,
"Firstly, I want to say that I am wholeheartedly sorry.
"I know that in this case, sorry is not nearly enough, throughout my life I have made a lot of mistakes and what I have come to know is that the only benefit to making one is to learn from it.
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"I didn't want to simply put out a PR apology on social media because I know that I have caused offence and pain to the community that I love and have always wanted to support.
"To be in the knowledge that I have negatively impacted the community through my own ignorance has ripped out a piece of my heart. I know I needed to address my mistake head on and educate myself about an issue I was frankly ignorant of.
"The language that I used on the podcast was unacceptable, as someone that has always been immersed in the LGBTQ+ community, I have witnessed first hand the progress that has been made when it comes to language, I am ashamed that I was unaware of the potency of the T-slur until now."
She then went on to say that she has now been 'educated' on the 'power of that word', adding: "It is often the last word someone hears before they are brutally attacked or even murdered, similar to the anti-gay F-slur, the T-slur is commonly used to humiliate and degrade transgender individuals.
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"Murders and attacks are commonplace in this community and safe environments are paramount. I now understand how insulting it was to see a clip of me and @mothecomedian laughing at a story which I should have known better than to tell and casually, thoughtlessly using a word that is a dehumanising, dangerous slur to so many."
Glynne wrote that she had now learned something that she will carry with her for the rest of her life, before once again apologising.
She also shared a number of organisations her followers can use before ending: "I do believe personal development never ends but we have to make a commitment to change and I will be taking some time to continue to grow."
Featured Image Credit: PA