Rufus Wainwright says the right’s targeting of gay and trans people ‘like a war’
"You have to fight for one side or the other, which is never good for anyone. But I’m a gay person with lots of trans friends and so I have to choose that side.”
Rufus Wainwright has reflected on rising anti-LGBTQ sentiments on both sides of the Atlantic in his latest interview, likening the movement to “a war”.
Speaking to The Telegraph, ‘The Art Teacher’ singer pointed to ring-wing movements “glomming” onto gay and trans people as targets for hate.
The star’s comments follow the implementation of the ‘Don’t Say Gay, Don’t Say Trans’ bill in Florida, which makes illegal all classroom ‘discussion’ or ‘instruction’ of LGBTQ lives in classrooms across all school grades.
“I have certain, quite old-fashioned opinions on trans stuff” – Rufus Wainwright
The 50-year-old said: “I don’t know how things are in England but in America, the battle is back on. There has been a dramatic swing back against gay rights. It’s pretty horrific. I have certain, quite old-fashioned opinions on trans stuff… And I do occasionally like to debate what direction should be taken with children and all that.
“But what has happened means there isn’t even room for those conversations anymore. Because trans people are under full attack from the government.”
The father-of-one, known for songs like ‘Want’ and ‘Out of the Game’ continued: “The amount of legislation that is being passed [in the US], how the right-wing has glommed on to gay and trans people as a target is so ferocious… It’s like a war now. You have to fight for one side or the other, which is never good for anyone. But I’m a gay person with lots of trans friends and so I have to choose that side.”
According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 520 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the US in 2023.
These include 220 bills specifically targeting transgender and non-binary people, including seven requiring or allowing misgendering of transgender students and 15 banning gender affirming care for transgender youth.
Rufus released his latest album Folkocracy in June. He will perform at the Royal Albert Hall as part of his Rufus Wainwright’s Want Symphonic Proms show this month.