Azealia Banks has been removed as a headliner from Amsterdam's Milkshake Festival following protests from the transgender community over her controversial past statements.

The LGBTQ+ community's protests centered around Banks' controversial statements about transgender women. In 2021, she made derogatory comments about trans women and suggested they were using "male aggression" to enter women's spaces. In 2023, she sparked further controversy by arguing against prioritizing gender-affirming surgery over elderly healthcare.

Ironically, Banks recently criticized J.K. Rowling's anti-trans stance on X/Twitter, stating that "trans women are not a threat to your femininity" and suggesting that Rowling should better understand varying "states of consciousness."

The Milkshake Festival organizers acknowledged their oversight in an Instagram statement: "We take responsibility for not fully considering the potential impact of this booking. When booking artists, we focus on the contribution their music has made to spaces that matter to us. But their public persona should not go completely unnoticed."

In their final update, the festival confirmed: "Azealia Banks will not be performing at Milkshake Festival 2025. It is clear to us that we made a mistake and that we have overlooked essential information. We sincerely apologize for this."

The festival's decision reflects a growing trend of holding artists accountable for their public statements and ensuring event spaces remain inclusive and respectful to all communities.

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