“It has always been my priority to protect the LGBTQ community I am part of.”

Miley Cyrus has responded to the backlash over her recent comments about the LGBTQ community.

Earlier this week, the star came under fire after she appeared on Instagram live with her current boyfriend Cody Simpson, in which she urged single women not to “give up” on men and suggested being gay was a choice.

“There are good men out there guys, don’t give up. You don’t have to be gay, there are good people with dicks out there, you’ve just got to find them,” she said. “You’ve got to find a dick that’s not a dick, you know?”

Miley continued: “I always thought I had to be gay, because I thought all guys were evil, but it’s not true. There are good people out there that just happen to have dicks. I’ve only ever met one, and he’s on this live.”

Her comments were met with widespread backlash from queer people on social media.

One fan said they can’t even begin to express how “disgusted” they were by her remarks, adding that it was “harmful” and “reinforces homophobic beliefs” that gay women just “haven’t found the right man” yet.

“I’m confused. Did @MileyCyrus really say that she thought she had to be gay because there weren’t any good guys out there?” wrote another. “Is she saying she was choosing to be gay? This statement is extremely harmful if true and I hope she clarifies it.”

Shortly after, Miley released the following statement to Twitter and Instagram: “I was talking shit about sucky guys. But let me be clear, YOU don’t CHOOSE your sexuality. You are born as you are.

“It has always been my priority to protect the LGBTQ community I am part of.”

The comments were divided. Some felt Miley didn’t need to issue an apology because as a queer person, she should be able to joke about her sexuality, while others said if she wants to be a representative of LGBTQ people, she needs to be more careful.

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