Johnny Depp faces backlash for misgendering author during Amber Heard trial

Lizzo has also come under fire for a separate issue which some think reveals double standards

Johnny Depp is facing criticism after misgendering an author during his trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. In a clip being shared online, the Pirates of the Carribean actor, 59, seems to struggle with his words while discussing author iO Tillett Wright in the courtroom. [caption id="attachment_349727" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Johnny Depp waves to fans as he departs the Fairfax County Courthouse in May 2022 (Image: Getty)[/caption] Depp said: "She was born female, if that's the right terminology these days. Born a female, but she was, she had chosen, at a very young age, she decided that she was a male." Wright told his Instagram followers that using the pronouns he/him "feels right at the moment". "That may change, as it has already changed many times," he added, "and I'm good with that." Social media users have also been calling out pop star Lizzo, 34, for using an ableist slur - an offensive statement made towards a disabled person - in her new song "Grrrls". The singer has since removed it and apologised, adding that she "never want[ed] to promote derogatory language." [caption id="attachment_349726" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Singer Lizzo performing in New York City in July 2022 (Image: Getty)[/caption] Highlighting possible double standards, one critic wrote on Twitter: "Funny how Lizzo used a slur in a song and had to remove it instantly for risk of being canceled, and yet Johnny can get away with constantly misgendering iO and calling him a lesbian slur in a text message." Another said: "Johnny Depp misgendering witness iO Tillet Wright for 2 minutes straight. iO is a trans man that testified he witnessed Johnny beating Amber." However others have come to Depp's defence. "He referred to iO with the pronouns he used at the time that they knew each other and the time that the events he's talking about took place," one person wrote. They argued that Depp "did not seem to be disrespectful at all in his testimony" and "didn't call him a lesbian slur in a text." [caption id="attachment_349728" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Amber Heard, right, and her sister Whitney Heard, second left, depart the Fairfax County Courthouse in June 2022 (Image: Getty)[/caption] Wright is one of Heard's best friends and testified that Depp would get "mean" and "misogynistic" when under the influence of alcohol or drugs. "Cocaine and any kind of alcohol would bring out a very, very ugly side of him," Wright said, "he would get very misogynistic and cruel and other things when he would take any kind of psychedelic like ecstasy or MDMA he would become paranoid. When he drank alcohol he would become paranoid." Wright recalled comments Depp allegedly made during one of the occasions he was called to help the couple through an argument: "Things like... all she's got is her looks. She has no talent and when her tits start to sag and her face gets wrinkly, nobody's going to be interested in her for anything, so she better figure out another way to survive. S*** like that." [caption id="attachment_331022" align="alignnone" width="1927"] Johnny Depp and Amber Heard attend The Art of Elysium HEAVEN Gala in California, 2016 (Credit: Getty)[/caption] Depp was awarded $15m in damages after a jury concluded that his ex-wife Heard had defamed him. The jury also found that Heard had been defamed and she was awarded $2m. Heard appealed for a mistrial earlier this month after it was revealed one of the jurors present was not the person initially registered to serve (a family member serving in their place) as well as claiming that Depp's legal team made a number of unfounded allegations. However her bid was later rejected after the judge said that the issues were largely "irrelevant" to the trial and not sufficient enough for the verdict to be thrown out. Related links:

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