Alice Cooper has been dropped by Vampyre Cosmetics after suggesting transgenderism could be a "fad".
The 75-year-old shock rocker insisted gender identity is "so confusing to a kid" and explained how he feels discussion around the sensitive issue has "gone to the point of absurdity".
He told Stereogum: "I’m understanding that there are cases of transgender, but I’m afraid that it’s also a fad, and I’m afraid there’s a lot of people claiming to be this just because they want to be that.
"I find it wrong when you’ve got a six-year-old kid who has no idea. He just wants to play, and you’re confusing him telling him, 'Yeah, you’re a boy, but you could be a girl if you want to be.'"
The 'Poison' hitmaker continued: "I think that’s so confusing to a kid. It’s even confusing to a teenager. You’re still trying to find your identity, and yet here’s this thing going on, saying, 'Yeah, but you can be anything you want. You can be a cat if you want to be.' "
The Hollywood Vampires star questioned who is "making the rules" and described it as this "whole woke thing".
He added: "I don’t know one person that agrees with the woke thing. I don’t know one person. Everybody I talk to says, 'Isn’t it stupid?'
"And I’m going, well, I respect people. I respect people and who they are, but I’m not going to tell a seven-year-old boy, 'Go put a dress on because maybe you’re a girl,' and he’s going, 'No, I’m not. I’m a boy.'
"So I say let somebody at least become sexually aware of who they are before they start thinking about if they’re a boy or a girl."
Alice - whose real name is Vincent Furnier - insisted it comes down to "genitals", and that there is a difference in language.
He explained: "There’s a difference between 'I am a male who is a female, or I’m a female that’s a male' and wanting to be a female. You were born a male. Okay, so that’s a fact. You have these things here.
"Now, the difference is you want to be a female. Okay, that’s something you can do later on if you want to. But you’re not a male born a female."
And now, the goth make-up brand Alice inked a deal with just two weeks ago, has announced the contract is no more in light of his comments.
In a social media statement, the company said: "In light of recent statements by Alice Cooper we will no longer be doing a makeup collaboration.
"We stand with all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and believe everyone should have access to healthcare. All pre-order sales will be refunded."
