Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider is defiant after being pulled from a main-stage appearance at a San Francisco pride parade, as organizers labeled his position against transitioning minors “transphobic.”
“I was not aware the Transgender community expects fealty and total agreement with all their beliefs and any variation or deviation is considered ‘transphobic,’” Snider said in a lengthy Facebook post on Friday.
The LGBTQIA2S+ community turned on the ’80s rock icon after he publicly backed KISS guitarist Paul Stanley’s stance against transitioning minors. As Breitbart News reported, Paul Stanley took to social media over the weekend and called the transitioning of minors a “sad and dangerous fad.”
“You know what? There was a time where I ‘felt pretty’ too,” Snider wrote in response to Stanley’s comments. “Glad my parents didn’t jump to any rash conclusions! Well said.”
You know what? There was a time where I “felt pretty” too. Glad my parents didn’t jump to any rash conclusions! Well said, @PaulStanleyLive https://t.co/G80uNyzD7M
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) May 1, 2023
Snider was dropped from the Pride event as a result. In addition, his hit song, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” was also canceled as the parade’s rallying cry.
“When we were notified about the tweet in which Dee expressed support for Kiss’s Paul Stanley’s transphobic statement, we were heartbroken and angry,” SF Pride said in a statement. “The message perpetuated by that tweet casts doubt on young trans people’s ability to self-identify their gender.”
In his Facebook post, titled, “So, I hear I’m transphobic. Really?” Snider went on to say, “So my lifetime of supporting the Transgender community’s right to identify as they want and honoring whatever changes they may make in how they present themselves to the world isn’t enough?”
“I’ve recently stated I do not believe young children are ready to decide their gender allocation,” the singer continued.
“I believe their choices should be supported and accepted by their parents, but I do not think kids have the mental capabilities to make rational, logical decisions on things of a magnitude that will affect them for the rest of their lives,” he added. “I do not believe they are mentally developed enough.”
Snider went on to describe himself as a “proud moderate,” adding that he is “a heterosexual who proudly supports LBGTQIA+ rights.”
“The transgender community needs moderates who support their choices, even if we don’t agree with every one of their edicts,” Snider continued. “For some Transgender people (not all) to accuse supporters, like me, of transphobia is not a good look for their cause.”
“Don’t reject people who are willing to march, sing, and stand with you just because we don’t perfectly see eye-to-eye,” the singer said, adding that he will “continue to support the transgender community — even if they reject me.”
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.