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Concertgoers Criticize Carlos Santana Over ‘BS’ Anti-Trans Rant At New Jersey Show
The “Smooth” guitarist declared that a “woman is a woman and a man is a man” in a resurfaced clip from a July concert.
By Ben Blanchet
Aug 25, 2023, 03:37 AM EDT|Updated Aug 25, 2023
Carlos Santana has apologized for “insensitive comments” after clips of an anti-trans rant resurfaced from his concert in New Jersey last month.
During an Atlantic City show in July, the “Smooth” guitarist declared that “a woman is a woman and a man is a man, that’s it.” One attendee told Consequence the comments were “very disturbing and seemed to come out of nowhere.”
“When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are,” Santana said in one video.
“Later on, when you grow out of it you see things and you start believing that you could be something that sounds good but you know it ain’t right,” the guitarist continued. “Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man, that’s it.”
Santana, who received applause for his remarks, said that whatever a person wants to do “in the closet” is their business.
“I’m OK with that, I am like this with my brother Dave Chappelle,” added the guitarist in a nod to a comedian who has declared himself as “team TERF” (a trans-exclusionary radical feminist) and who has sparked controversy with transphobic jokes in recent years.
One concertgoer, who shared a clip from the show on Reddit, called the remarks “the most insane anti-trans bs” they’ve ever heard.
“Thought music (especially with this history) was supposed to bring us together…” wrote the user, who claimed they chose to leave the concert “pretty immediately” following the remarks.
In a message shared to his Facebook page on Thursday, Santana said he was sorry for his “insensitive comments.”
“They don’t reflect that I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs. I realize that what I said hurt people and that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to the transgender community and everyone I offended,” the guitarist wrote.
He added: “Here is my personal goal that I strive to achieve every day. I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs whether they are LGBTQ or not. This is the planet of free will and we have all been given this gift. I will now pursue this goal to be happy and have fun, and for everyone to believe what they want and follow in your hearts without fear. It takes courage to grow and glow in the light that you are and to be true, genuine, and authentic. We grow and learn to shine our light with Love and compliments. Have a glorious existence. Peace.”
The apology follows other rock musicians making anti-trans remarks in recent months.
Kiss frontman Paul Stanley in April gave his unsolicited two cents on gender-affirming care for minors in a lengthy post criticizing parents “normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle” for their child as though it’s “some sort of game.” He later walked back the comments and stated his support for those “struggling with their sexual identity while enduring constant hostility.”
Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who called Stanley’s initial post “well said,” wrote that he was glad his parents “didn’t jump to any rash conclusion” at a time when he “felt pretty.” San Francisco Pride had planned to make Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” the “unofficial rallying cry” of its parade this year, but parted ways with him over the comments, organizers announced in May.
Snider later took to Facebook to declare that he’s an LGBTQ ally and say he wasn’t aware that the trans community “expects fealty and total agreement with all their beliefs and any variation or deviation is considered ‘transphobic.’”
Alice Cooper also recently said he’s afraid that being trans is “a fad” when asked about Stanley and Snider’s remarks in a Stereogum interview.
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