Chapter 5962

With Tawanna's influence, her appearance in the video is bound to make waves in entertainment headlines worldwide, and even in the news. However, this will inevitably impact her public image. Despite the potential fallout, Tawanna is determined to show her face on camera, signaling that she is ready to step into the fray. Trevor understands that once the full video is released, it will likely harm Tawanna's reputation, but he also recognizes that her steadfastness reflects a newfound conviction within her. In the past, she backed all matters related to the LGBT community without considering the complexities or appropriateness of the debates, but now she recognizes that such discussions aren't suitable for public figures to undertake openly. She hopes the content that Charlie criticized her about will reach the world, while also cautioning the indiscriminate enthusiasts out there. Additionally, Tawanna's decision stems from her desire to repay the life-saving favor Charlie provided her, while also demonstrating to him that her views have shifted. From Charlie's insights, she gleaned that he embodies a genuine sense of social responsibility—a trait that prompts action over mere words. It's clear that he genuinely cares for those misguided youth, wanting to shield them from unscrupulous influences, preventing them from becoming victims or facing devastating lifelong consequences. In this context, asking Trevor to upload the video to the internet would mean aiding Charlie in reaching the public. He would certainly appreciate that. At that moment, Trevor looked at Tawanna with renewed respect. His admiration for her decision deepened. He said to Tawanna, "Since you've made up your mind, I'll edit the video and release it shortly." Tawanna nodded, offering a bittersweet smile as she sighed, "Trev, I have a strong feeling about who wants me out of this world. Before today, those same individuals held on to attitudes like mine, tirelessly supporting marginalized communities. It’s evident that many who seem virtuous on the surface may not possess goodwill at their core. I want you to upload the video to help those misled like I was to confront their misconceptions. I've also resolved to refrain from any public comments that don't pertain to music, my career, or my life moving forward." Trev nodded in agreement, stating, "I share your perspective. Not only will I abstain from making irrelevant remarks in the future, but I also intend to distance myself from those who constantly push their opinions. As for the obstinate ones, they need a wake-up call." …… Since Tawanna's evening performance was set to begin on schedule, the party officially wrapped up at five o'clock in the afternoon. Tawanna needed to prepare extensively for her performance, finalizing costumes, props, and coordinating with the band and dancers, so she and Trevor bid farewell to everyone at five and made their way directly to the backstage area. As for the remaining guests, given that they had to watch the performance at seven o'clock in the evening, Mitsui Yoshitaka arranged a buffet for everyone to enjoy and chat in smaller groups. Charlie, Claire, and Loreen sat at a table with Michaela and Kelly West. Mitsui Yoshitaka greeted them and moved on to connect with other guests. Just when the buffet was halfway through, Michaela's phone buzzed with a notification from an American video platform, boasting the headline: A video of Tawanna Sweet debating a mysterious individual on LGBT issues in Tokyo has leaked. Surprised, she exclaimed, "Mr. Wade, it seems the video of your debate with Tawanna has been uploaded online!" "Really?" Charlie responded with a smile. "Click on it and let’s see if it’s been edited." Michaela tapped the notification and noticed that besides Tawanna, everyone else, including Charlie, had their identities masked. She placed her phone on the table for everyone to view and remarked, "The video is censored. Unless someone recognizes your voice, Mr. Wade, there's no way for anyone to know it's you." Charlie nodded as he observed the video play out on the phone. It was clear the footage was captured from Trevor's perspective, and exemplified that Trevor hadn’t erased any content as he claimed.

After the video concluded, Michaela quickly opened the comment section. Initially, there wasn’t much of substance—most comments comprised emojis or were akin to social media users posting random reactions. This could be because many commenters were sharing opinions before actually watching the video. A mere ten to twenty seconds later, the comment section surged with meaningful commentary, quickly filling with more in-depth observations. The discussions in the comments gradually turned one-sided, as most viewers found the masked individual's arguments thoughtful and well-reasoned, particularly Charlie's assertion that "it is not protection, but the propagation of LGBT" resonated deeply with many viewers. In contrast, Tawanna's performance suffered greatly; her lack of eloquence, logic, and reasoning seemed to paint her as an unreasonable child in the eyes of the audience. Furthermore, due to Charlie’s arguments concerning minors, viewers who agreed with him subconsciously associated Tawanna with reckless promotion of harmful ideas publicly, thus influencing many minors negatively. This led to a substantial wave of criticism directed at Tawanna. Fortunately, she possessed a vast global fanbase. Besides her ardent supporters, many individuals enjoyed her music without having strong feelings toward her. These more neutral fans tended to be forgiving, acknowledging that Tawanna's past actions had been problematic while not attacking her for it. Of course, there were still plenty of commenters passionately defending Tawanna. These advocates might be her loyal fans or members of the communities she had championed. Even though Charlie stressed in the video that he respects LGBT rights while opposing excessive public discourse about it, and denouncing the opportunistic exploitation of these discussions, many angry users still vehemently criticized Charlie, accusing him of disrespecting and opposing LGBT issues. However, this contingent represented a minority, often drowned out by a wave of voices supporting Charlie. Even the British author J.K. Rowling, who had faced significant backlash, shared the video on social media, stating, "What this mysterious man said echoes my feelings. Many celebrities, like Tawanna, seem to idolize LGBT issues, treating them as untouchable and slandering anyone who questions their problematic behaviors. They have publicly condemned and boycotted me—it's a form of positional kidnapping. I’m done with what they’ve put me through! Moreover, I worry how today's tweet will incite those public figures who previously attacked me. Perhaps they’re finally reflecting on their actions and keeping quiet. We shall see." Upon this tweet's release, many voiced their support for Rowling in the comments, specifically citing public figures who earlier criticized her, including actors famous for portraying characters created by Rowling. Just a short while ago, these actors had relentlessly boycotted Rowling, even attempting to erase her influence on her own creations. Nevertheless, after viewing the video and Rowling’s statements, they all fell silent. At this moment, none dared to publicly criticize Rowling again, as Tawanna had now become the central focus of public scrutiny. If anyone were to openly attack Rowling, they would likely incur the same backlash that Tawanna faced. In the dressing room, Tawanna silently browsed the online comments. After perusing numerous responses, Trevor beside her expressed concern, "Dear, the current sentiment isn’t in your favor. Don't let their critiques affect your mindset." He quickly tried to soothe her, saying, "Fortunately, many individuals are showing you leniency. As long as you refrain from making further public statements, most people will come to recognize that you’ve changed." Tawanna put down her phone and replied earnestly, "The video's backlash is a confirmation of my prior mistakes. I hope its spread enables more people to grasp the essence of the situation, prompting others like me to acknowledge their errors and reassuring them that it's never too late to change course."