Amsterdam's Milkshake Festival has removed Azealia Banks from their 2025 lineup following protests from the trans community over her past controversial statements.

The decision came after concerns were raised about Banks' previous comments regarding trans women. In 2021, Banks made controversial statements about trans women in women's spaces and later in 2023 argued against prioritizing gender-affirming surgery funding over elderly healthcare.

Notably, 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 "how states of consciousness vary in a human being."

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 clarified: "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."

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