Photo Courtesy of CNN / Twitter
The Dalai Lama apologized for a viral video showing him kissing a minor boy and asking him to “suck his tongue” — two months after it happened.
In the apology posted to Twitter early Monday morning, his reps attempted to downplay the incident by claiming he innocently joked and teased those he’d met in public and on camera.
“A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug,” the statement read. “His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words have caused.”
At an M3M Foundation event in February 2023, the Dalai Lama (spiritual name Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso) attended to give an inspirational speech to the youth and visitors. Later in the event, a young boy asked Tenzin Gyatso if he could hug him. The Dalai Lama waved him over in approval and tapped his cheek, signaling to the child that he wanted a kiss on the cheek. The boy gave a quick peck, wrapping his arms around Tenzin Gyatso with a smile.
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It should’ve stopped there, but the Dalai Lama decided to push things further by requesting a kiss on the lips. He grabbed the child’s chin, angling their lips to touch. There was an uncomfortable pause comprising Tenzin Gyatso looking at the child before pointing to his mouth, saying, “suck my tongue.”
He stuck out his tongue and pushed his head toward’s the child. The unnamed boy connected his forehead with the Dalai Lama’s, but that was the extent of it.
Many criticized the spiritual leader for putting the child in that position and not addressing his pedophilic-like actions (not just words) toward the boy. The Dalai Lama should’ve taken accountability for his inappropriate actions instead of brushing it off like a joke.
This isn’t the first time the spiritual leader went viral for something controversial. Years ago, he denounced immigration, claiming Europe should only have Europeans.
He also said in 2019 that if a woman became the Dalai Lama, she “should be more attractive.”