Dolly Parton fans rush to her defense after conservative magazine attacks her support for LGBTQ rights

Dolly Parton fans are defending the country music icon after an essay on the conservative news site Federalist attacked the 78-year-old “Jolene” singer’s faith earlier this week over her support of the LGBTQ community.

O title, “There is nothing loving about Dolly Parton’s false gospel,” caught many people off guard. Supporters flooded social media with messages critical of the essay, and the writer has now expressed regret for using such a beloved figure to defend her point of view.

Here’s what you should know.

What did the Federalist say about Dolly Parton?

Federalist writer Ericka Andersen criticized Parton for her even-handed approach to life and her assertion that she loves everyone — including members of the LGBTQ community, whom she has supported in interviews.

Andersen argued that if Parton is Christian, as she proclaims, she should consider homosexuality a sin. “Parton’s version of love, which includes tolerating immoral sexual behavior (‘be who you are,’ she said), is not aligned with God’s vision for humanity,” Andersen wrote.

But Andersen told Yahoo Entertainment on Saturday that the widespread backlash made her realize she shouldn’t have used Parton to make her point.

“I regret using Dolly as an example for what I argued in the article,” she said. “As I wrote in the article, I love her and I think she does incredible things for the world. how to frame things sometimes. This was one of those moments for me, Dolly is one of the few people who is loved by everyone and who loves everyone.

What did Dolly Parton say about her faith?

Parton tends to talk generally about her faith and love for God. In his 2020 book Dolly Parton, songwriter: my life in letters, she said: “I’m not that religious, but I’m very, very spiritual. I grew up in a very religious environment. I grew up with a biblical background and I’m happy about that.”

In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Parton said, “I’m not so good a Christian that I think I’m so good that I can judge people. That’s God’s job, not mine. So as far as politics goes, I hate politics.”

What Dolly Parton Fans Are Saying Now

Fans of X, formerly Twitter, were not happy to see the Federalist coming after Parton. (A different Federalist writer stated in 2016 that the “Islands in the Stream” singer would be an excellent president.)

“They came for Dolly. We rode at dawn,” a fan he wrote alongside a screenshot of the article.

“Guys, a land war in Asia is the SECOND biggest mistake anyone can make,” another added. “The first? Coming after Dolly Parton.

“No. You’re not coming after Dolly Parton. You absolutely don’t know,” a third shared.

“I will go after anyone on this app…except Dolly Parton,” another shared. “Delete your entire account.”

What Dolly Parton said about the LGBTQ community

While Parton may detest politics, she spoke to Hollywood reporter in 2023 about how the recent attack on anti-LGBTQ legislation affects the people she loves.

“I have some of everyone in my immediate family and my circle of employees,” she explained. “I have trans people. I have gays. I have lesbians. I have drunks. I have drug addicts – all in my family. I know and love them all and I don’t judge. And I see how heartbroken they get over certain things and I know how real they are.”

She continued: “I know how important this is to them. It’s God’s business. But we are all children of God and who we are is who we are.”

This article contains affiliate links; If you click this link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission.