Michael Jackson was reportedly 'chemically castrated' by his father for one major reason: "He was..."
Although Michael Jackson tragically passed away in 2009, discussions surrounding his personal life continue to generate major attention. From his challenging childhood to the highly controversial sexual abuse allegations, Jackson's life was anything but conventional. It is widely known that his father, Joe Jackson, played a strict and often harsh role in the upbringing of his nine children. Allegations of physical and emotional abuse have long been associated with Jackson Sr., but the most shocking claim has to be him subjecting Michael to chemical castration.
Michael's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, claimed that the singer was "chemically castrated" by his father, Joe, to maintain his high-pitched voice. For the uninformed, Dr. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served two years in prison for administering a fatal propofol overdose to Michael in June 2009, as per People. Murray made shocking claims that Joe was "cruel" to his children. "Joe Jackson was one of the worst fathers to his children in history," Murray told The Blast. He also stated that "Michael had talked about the cruelty he had experienced at the hands of his father..." before trailing off. He then added, "The fact that he was chemically castrated to maintain his high-pitched voice is beyond words," as per Business Standard.
In the past, Michael himself described his father, Joseph, as a strict disciplinarian who instilled fear in him from a young age. In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael revealed that "he was very strict, very hard, very stern," as reported by The Express. He further explained, "With just a look, he would scare you. [I was] very scared, frightened of him." Recalling the anxiety his father caused him, Michael added, "There were times he would come to see me, and I would regurgitate [out of nerves]."
Michael further admitted to experiencing physical discipline from his father. When asked if Joe hit him as a child, Michael replied, "Yes, he did [hit me]." Years later, Winfrey reflected on the interview, emphasizing Michael's lingering emotions toward his father. She recalled, "[Michael tried] to temper it by saying, 'Please, don't be mad at me, Joseph.'". She further noted, "So obviously, you know that he still carried that fear and pain. Look in his eyes when he starts to talk about his father. His eyes shift."
View this post on Instagram
However, after Joe's passing in 2018, rumors resurfaced about his alleged abusive parenting. However, his grandson, Prince Jackson, Michael's son, defended him in an Instagram video, addressing the speculation surrounding his treatment of his father, as per Telegraph. "We have some things to talk about. One of the things I'm going to talk about today is my grandfather and the things you're saying about him," Prince began. Dismissing the allegations, he continued, "You can go on saying all you want about him abusing my dad and whatever—I’ll make a YouTube video about it, but he's raised the kids right." He further defended Joe's parenting, stating that otherwise, they would be in gangs or dead.