Steve Brookstein faces Twitter backlash after hijacking abortion hashtag to discuss own career
Steve Brookstein has incurred the wrath of Twitter users after shamelessly hijacking a Twitter hashtag.
The former X Factor winner faced a backlash on Tuesday after he jumped on hashtag #ShoutYourAbortion, designed to empower women who have had abortions and help raise funds to counter a campaign to close state funded clinics in the US.
Inexplicably latching on to the movement, Brookstein used the hashtag to claim that his own pop career had been ‘aborted’.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShoutYourAbortion?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShoutYourAbortion?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#ShoutYourAbortion</a> oh God, Twitter does it again. Go on then be proud. Shout it out. — Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646221364026822656" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646221364026822656" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 22, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I don't think I come across enough radical feminists with mental health issues. I really don't. — Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646281086994116609" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646281086994116609" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 22, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I aborted my pop career as I was trapped in abusive recorded deal. My shame stops today. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShoutYourAbortion?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShoutYourAbortion?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#ShoutYourAbortion</a> — Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646287728624181248" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646287728624181248" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 22, 2015</a>
He started out by mocking the hashtag, writing: “#ShoutYourAbortion oh God, Twitter does it again. Go on then be proud. Shout it out.”
The singer, 46, added: “I don't think I come across enough radical feminists with mental health issues. I really don't.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">How the hell do I get to trend again without getting an invite in Big Brother? I'm calling my agent. Hold on I haven't got an agent. — Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646311151530283008" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-2953221-https://twitter.com/stevebrookstein/status/646311151530283008" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 22, 2015</a>
After responding to a number of angry followers, Brookstein turned the conversation around to his own career.
He wrote: “I aborted my pop career as I was trapped in abusive recorded deal. My shame stops today. #ShoutYourAbortion.”
X Factor 2015: Manchester Auditions
Responding to a follower who called him out for his ‘bad opinions’ and lack of ‘success’, he wrote:
“No1 album, No1 single. No1 book and most importantly my kids think I'm a Number 1 dad. So go f**k yourself. “
Brookstein then began to question whether his female critics had ever had abortions themselves, asking one follower:
“Have you got kids? Have you had an abortion. I reckon no and no.”
Brookstein angered Twitter users last month when we made a remark about the 7/7 bombings, which some deemed to be offensive.
The former star faced a backlash when he wrote: “10 years ago I was heading home from New York and Barcelona after celebrating a No1 album. Totally oblivious to 7/7 attacks.”
The singer stuck to his guns despite being called ‘selfish’ and ‘insensitive’.
