In a world where words can dance off the tongue like catchy melodies, it’s easy to forget that some forms of expression transcend spoken language.
Enter Makhadzi, the South African singer who recently found herself in hot water after a faux pas that left the deaf community feeling disrespected. While shooting her latest music video, she was accused of mocking sign language, igniting a firestorm on social media.
The South African Sign Language digital learning platform wasn’t shy about sharing their disappointment, voicing that Makhadzi’s antics didn’t just mock a language rich in history but also overlooked the struggles faced by the deaf community.
Sign language gesture mentor Dieumercy Asan quickly weighed in and said, “By doing the sign gestures, Makhadzi did not only mock our language or disrespect our culture, but she taught her million fans that ‘this is normal’, which is unacceptable in deaf culture.
Deaf people don’t accept sign gestures. Making a mockery of a language so rich in history and culture is making a mockery of its people and the struggles they have endured.”
Upon facing the backlash, Makhadzi took to social media to issue a heartfelt apology. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” she stated, demonstrating accountability and an understanding of the impact her actions had on others.
The artist, who has been bullied herself, empathizes with the pain that can stem from misunderstanding. She vowed to take responsibility and intends to issue a public apology in the coming week.
“There are many things that happen without knowing how people will take it. As someone who is in the entertainment industry this was part of acting without knowing how it will affect other people. However, if people are affected by a certain act, I must understand and accept I was wrong.”
“I am willing to send a public apology, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I had no intention to hurt anyone from the deaf community. As someone who has been bullied, I understand how painful it is and that others didn’t take what I did well.
“I’m taking accountability for that. Hence, I’m willing to send a public apology, but I do apologise for that, I had no bad intention. I will release a statement next week,” she said.
As we enjoy the vibrancy of music, let’s remember to honour the languages that express emotions beyond words.
