Shakira Responds To Councilman Trying To Ban ‘Can’t Remember To Forget You’ Video Featuring Rihanna For ‘Promoting Lesbianism’

Shakira and Rihanna premiered their steamy and racy video for "Can't Remember To Forget You" back in January, and it’s made quite an impact. The Colombian singer and Barbadian performer are seen grinding, bumping up against a wall, getting touchy with each other, and in provocative positions. Overall, the video’s had a mixed response, with praise from both singers’ fans but criticism from others, like Colombian councilman Marco Fidel Ramírez.

Ramírez started a petition to have the clip banned and started a campaign on Twitter to prohibit "Can't Remember To Forget You." "The family councilor rejects categorically the contents of Shakira's latest video, as it is considered to damage the moral character of the youth of Bogotá, Colombia and Latin America," he wrote on the social network using the hashtag #PeligroVideoShakira.

"Our Shakira with her erotic video is promoting tobacco usage and has become the worst example for our youth," he later added. "Shakira's new video is a shameless case for lesbianism and immorality. It is a danger to children." Shakira, who was recently in her country inaugurating a new school of “Fundación Pies Descalzos,” her foundation, was asked about the councilman’s remarks.

She first revealed how shocked she was that the video had gotten so many views and added that it was a reflection of good choreography, and the idea of two colleagues who were happy to work together and did it with positive energy. Shakira also joked that “Since [Piqué] doesn’t let me do videos with men anymore, I have to make them with women.”

However, her tone got a bit more serious when addressing the councilman’s words. “In a country like ours where there are so many needs: a health system that needs to be improved, an education system that needs to be expanded, employment that needs to be generated -- for a councilman to use his voice and his time to talk about a video by an artist like me means we’re not doing too well councilman-wise, right?”

The “Can’t Remember To Forget You” video has gotten over 155 million views on YouTube since its debut Jan. 30. The song is part of Shakira’s new album out March 25, as well as “Empire,” the second single released on Tuesday. Shakira can also be seen on The Voice as a coach for this season alongside Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Usher.