Christian blogger apologises after criticism of Dolly Parton’s LGBTQ+ allyship sparks backlash
Dolly Parton has been outspoken in her pro-LGBTQ+ views. (Getty)
A Christian writer has been forced to apologise after writing a post accusing Dolly Parton of supporting “immoral” behaviour by being an LGBTQ+ ally.
A post published on the right-wing evangelical blog site, The Federalist, titled There’s nothing loving about Dolly Parton’s false gospel accuses the country music icon of promoting “immoral sexual behaviour” by being pro-LGBTQ+.
“Like so many secularised spiritual leaders, Parton equates love with agreement, but the two are not reciprocal,” the blog post’s author, Ericka Andersen, wrote. “Love doesn’t mean we just accept sinfulness as good to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.”
Dolly Parton has been outspoken in her support of LGBTQ+ rights for decades and is among one of the most iconic allies and philanthropists for human and LGBTQ+ rights.
In November 2023, she spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about her faith and how she believes it intersects with her support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The post criticised this belief, telling readers to “be careful when looking to cultural Christians to light the way.”
Andersen wrote that because Parton has often been described as an “LGBTQ+ icon,” she is somehow complicit in what it describes as “sinfulness.”
The blog poster also blamed Parton for inspiring drag queens with her “rhinestone-studded flash outfits, big hair, and infamous chest,” adding that it’s “not her fault, but she does seem to indulge it.”
The post naturally received hefty backlash from individuals who saw it as a right-wing pundit biting off more than they could chew, with one fan saying: “You do not come after Dolly Parton. You absolutely do not.”
“Dolly is a national treasure,” another wrote. “Best to leave her alone. You do not know who you are f**king with.”
Andersen later apologised for using Parton as a conduit for her anti-LGBTQ+ views, saying she regretted using her in a discussion about so-called “false gospel.”
“As I wrote in the piece, I love her and I think she does some incredible things for the world,” Andersen said to Yahoo Entertainment. “We all make poor choices in how to frame things sometimes. This was one of those moments for me.
“Dolly is one of the few people who is beloved by all and who loves all. The world is lucky to have her.”
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