Whoopi Goldberg Defends Men Can Hit Back Statement

Whoopi Goldberg is speaking out following criticism of her “men can hit back” statement on ABC’s The View while speaking on the Jay Z and Solange Knowles elevator fight yesterday. When Barbara Walters asked if she believed it was okay for a man to hit a woman, she said “If I slap a man, he has every right to slap me back.” Responding to the backlash, Whoopi took to her Facebook page to address the issue.

“Hey, I know everyone is freaking out like I said that they would when I said if someone hits you, you have the right to hit them back. I didn’t say Jay Z should have hit Solange. I said if you hit a man that man has the right to hit you back. That’s what I said.”, the 58-year-old said.

She continued by saying “I stand by that. If you hit anybody, they have the right to hit you back. This idea that men aren’t supposed to hit women — if you slap a man he has the right to slap you back. Now, not everyone is going to agree and I’m okay with that. But that’s how I feel. That’s why I don’t slap anybody.”