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After a video clip circulated showing legendary guitarist Carlos Santana making anti-trans statements during a concert, the “Smooth” performer is apologizing to the transgender community. In a statement sent to Billboard on Thursday (Aug. 24), Santana shared his regret for what he said onstage. “I am sorry for my insensitive comments. They don’t reflect that […]
While he may be best known for being “Smooth,” legendary guitarist Carlos Santana recently shared some comments about the trans community that left a bad taste in some people’s mouths.
A clip began circulating online recently of Santana performing in Atlantic City, N.J., in late July, where the star stopped during his show to share his thoughts on the transgender experience itself. “When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are,” he said. “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 then took his comments a step further, making a commonly disputed claim that there are only two genders. “Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man — that’s it,” he said. “Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that’s your business. I’m OK with that.”
Santana also gave a shoutout to comedian Dave Chappelle — who has also been criticized in recent years for making anti-trans comments during his stand-up routine — by bringing his hands together and saying, “I am like this with my brother Dave Chappelle.”
In a statement provided to Billboard, Santana clarified his respect for individuals’ opinions, without specifically walking his comments back. “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,” he wrote. “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 star’s comments come amid a wave of anti-trans legislation in the U.S., specifically targeted at restricting gender-affirming care for trans youth. While right-wing politicians claim that the risks of this kind of care do not outweigh the benefits, peer-reviewed research disagrees. Multiple studies show that gender-affirming care reduces the rates of depression and suicidality among transgender kids.
The “Black Magic Woman” performer isn’t the only person to come out with anti-trans comments recently. In an interview with Stereogum published Aug. 23, Alice Cooper called gender-affirming care “a fad,” and claimed that discourse surrounding the trans community has “gone now to the point of absurdity.”
While he may be best known as one of the gender-bending faces of the shock rock movement, Alice Cooper revealed that he’s not in favor of real gender-affirming care.
In a new interview with Stereogum, the 75-year-old rock star shared his opinions about best-practice medical care for transgender youth, saying that he was “afraid that it’s also a fad.” Using common anti-trans talking points to elaborate, the star said that he felt children were not mature enough to make major decisions about their gender identity.
“I find it wrong when you’ve got a 6-year-old kid who has no idea. He just wants to play, and you’re confusing him telling him, ‘Yeah, you’re a boy, but you could be a girl if you want to be,’” he said. “I mean, if you identify as a tree … I’m going, ‘Come on! What are we in, a Kurt Vonnegut novel?’ It’s so absurd, that it’s gone now to the point of absurdity.”
Cooper then took aim at “the whole woke thing” at large, claiming that society has taken progressive language too far. “Who’s making the rules?” he asked. “It’s getting to the point now where it’s laughable. If anybody was trying to make a point on this thing, they turned it into a huge comedy. I don’t know one person that agrees with the woke thing.”
The “School’s Out” singer even shared anti-trans rhetoric about access to public bathrooms, claiming that allowing transgender people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity would lead to violent crimes. “A guy can walk into a woman’s bathroom at any time and just say, ‘I just feel like I’m a woman today’ and have the time of his life in there,” Cooper said. “He’s just taking advantage of that situation … Somebody’s going to get raped.”
Despite Cooper’s claims, research shows that gender-affirming care significantly reduces rates of depression and suicidality among transgender youth. Meanwhile, medical professionals providing gender-affirming care point out that minors are not able to make these life-altering decisions by themselves, and that the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health do not recommend gender-affirming surgery for anyone under the age of 18.
“Prior to any gender-affirming medical or surgical intervention, all minors must have an intake with a knowledgeable mental health provider internal to our system,” Dr. Joshua D. Safer told Billboard last year. “Once deemed ready for a medical/surgical intervention, the processes we have for adults are then brought into play.”
The “No More Mr. Nice Guy” singer is far from the first rocker to share anti-trans sentiments over the last year. In May, Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley called gender-affirming care “a sad and dangerous fad,” making similar claims to Cooper about children “playing” with gender rather than understanding their identity. Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider backed up Stanley’s comments, saying “there was a time where I ‘felt pretty’ too. Glad my parents didn’t jump to any rash conclusions.” Both rockers have since walked back their comments.
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