Comments made by country singer Jason Aldean‘s wife, Brittany, are coming under fire after she posted a transphobic joke on Instagram.
“I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life,” Brittany wrote earlier this week, on Aug. 23, as a caption to a before-and-after makeup video set to Beyoncé’s 2006 song “Upgrade U,” (even though Beyoncé is known to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community). Husband Jason left a laughing emoji in the comments and replied, “Lmao!! Im glad they didn’t too, cause you and I wouldn’t have worked out.”
In a wordier statement via Instagram Stories on Friday (Aug. 26), Brittany expanded upon her unsolicited thoughts on transgender youth and their rights to gender-affirming care: “Advocating for the genital mutilation of children under the disguise of love and calling it ‘gender affirming care’ is one of the worst evils. I will always support my children and do what I can to protect their innocence,” she wrote. “The other day Memphis wanted to be a dinosaur and tomorrow Navy will want to be a cat. They’re children. Some parents want to be accepted by society so badly that they’re willing to make life-altering decisions for their children who aren’t old enough to fully comprehend the consequences of those actions. Love is protecting your child until they are mature enough as an adult to make their own life decisions. Thankful my parents allowed me to go through my tom boy phase without changing my gender.”
Country singers RaeLynn and Whitney Duncan, as well as the wives of country singers Chuck Wicks, Jon Pardi, Shay Mooney and Granger Smith were among those to leave comments showing support on Brittany’s posts.
But elsewhere, country stars slammed Brittany Aldean. “You’d think celebs with beauty brands would see the positives in including LGBTQ+ people in their messaging. But instead here we are, hearing someone compare their ‘tomboy phase’ to someone wanting to transition. Real nice,” Cassadee Pope remarked on Twitter Friday (Aug. 26) in reaction to Brittany’s posts.
Maren Morris replied to Pope’s tweet in agreement, writing, “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.”
At that point, conservative Candace Owens decided to insert herself into their conversation, replying: “It’s easier to not castrate your children. But I guess whatever helps sell bad records.”
Morris responded, “Oh my god, not you. My Grammy is positively sobbing right now. Also, why do y’all always go to ‘castration’ and ‘pedophiles’ to try and shut an argument down? It’s honestly concerning and worth looking into.” Here, Perez Hilton chimed in as well: “Where is the castration of children happen[ing]? Because I don’t know any doctors that perform that gender-affirmation surgery on minors in America,” he pointed out.
Morris also replied to comments from others, like one Twitter user who found the singer’s reaction “confusing” and told her to “put down the phone and focus on the guitar.” Morris shot back, “If it’s confusing to you, it’s because you think we’re ‘fighting’ over politics. We’re not. This isn’t political. We’re calling someone out for being transphobic and thinking it’s hilarious. It isn’t.”
On Morris’ Instagram Stories on Saturday, she shared a video clip of herself thanking her fans for their support, while suggesting they redirect their effort to those who probably needed more support than her after seeing Brittany Aldean’s post.
“Y’all have been so sweet and supportive today of me and Cassadee,” Morris noted. “I will say we can handle this s—. We’ve dealt with idiots, you know, for years saying insanely stupid stuff at us. But I would say check on your trans friends. Check on your gay friends. Anyone that is in country music and had to look at that bulls— today and feel subhuman. Check on your friends.”
“I’m just so sick of looking at absolute horses— on the internet and people getting away with it, much less being celebrated for it,” Morris said.
Morris’ husband, fellow artist Ryan Hurd, also reassured followers on Twitter that they were OK but would continue to speak up: “Getting a lot of people telling me our career is over, as if the last time she spoke up about something it disappeared. Honestly, we’re pretty ok over here. Tours are good, got a 2 year old we love, we’re f–ing fine, and I promise she isn’t going to shut up now … Scoring quick points by picking on trans kids isn’t something that is brave at all. And I’m proud of Maren for sticking up for them. Badge of honor to have CO engage in completely normal discourse, too. Shut up and sing only applies to those who you disagree with.”
See Brittany’s original post and the reactions from Morris, Pope and more below.
You’d think celebs with beauty brands would see the positives in including LGBTQ+ people in their messaging. But instead here we are, hearing someone compare their “tomboy phase” to someone wanting to transition. Real nice.
— Cassadee Pope (@CassadeePope) August 26, 2022
It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) August 26, 2022
It’s easier to not castrate your children.
But I guess whatever helps sell bad records.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) August 26, 2022
Oh my god, not you. My Grammy is positively sobbing right now. Also, why do y’all always go to “castration” and “pedophiles” to try and shut an argument down? It’s honestly concerning and worth looking into.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) August 26, 2022
If it’s confusing to you, it’s because you think we’re “fighting” over politics. We’re not. This isn’t political. We’re calling someone out for being transphobic and thinking it’s hilarious. It isn’t.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) August 27, 2022
Scoring quick points by picking on trans kids isn’t something that is brave at all. And I’m proud of Maren for sticking up for them. Badge of honor to have CO engage in completely normal discourse, too. Shut up and sing only applies to those who you disagree with.
— Ryan Hurd (@RyanHurd) August 27, 2022
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