It started with KISS frontman Paul Stanley sharing some moderate, entirely reasonable thoughts on transitioning children. Soon after, Dee Snider, lead singer for Twisted Sister, wrote a short tweet agreeing with Stanley and, as a result, the San Francisco Pride Parade called off his appearance at their event.
Dee Snider came back swinging in a statement that is, well … reasonable. You can read it for yourself, copied straight from his Facebook page, here:
Dee Snyder’s statement of being canceled by the SF Pride Parade pic.twitter.com/TPmyQaAcyP
— (((Aaron Walker))) (@AaronWorthing) May 6, 2023
Or we can just get it via Loudwire, with very little cut out:
Thank you @loudwire.
Dee Snider Issues Statement After SF Pride Parade Drops Him – Loudwire – https://t.co/ZDdtHtWRZS #GoogleAlerts
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) May 5, 2023
They write:
In a post titled, ‘So, I hear I’m transphobic. Really?,’ the Twisted Sister vocalist addresses the move and shares his side of what happened.
‘Why did the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade invite me, Dee Snider to be a Grand Marshal in their parade and sing ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ on the center stage at what could possibly be the most important LGBTQIA+ gathering in the organization’s long history,’ asked the singer, then answering, ‘To quote Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer, ‘…Dee Snider [is] a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights…’ I have ALWAYS stood with the community and its important causes. I was honored to accept the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade’s invitation and I even gave my blessing for ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ to be used as this year’s battle cry [‘Queer Not Gonna Take It!’).’
‘Is that transphobic,’ he continues. ‘I was not aware the Transgender community expects fealty and total agreement with all their beliefs and any variation or deviation is considered ‘transphobic.’ 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? Why not?’
Sharing his viewpoint, Snider explains, ‘I’ve recently stated I do not believe young children are ready to decide their gender allocation. 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. I do not believe they are mentally developed enough.’ …
Snider continued with a plea to the Transgender community, ‘I am a proud moderate. I drive a Tesla and a Hummer. I have too many guns but strongly support intelligent gun control. I have four children yet fight for a woman’s right to choose. I am a motorcycle riding environmentalist. I am a heterosexual who proudly supports LBGTQIA+ rights. To me (and I believe to many of you) none of these things are mutually exclusive. The Transgender community needs moderates who support their choices, even if we don’t agree with every one of their edicts. 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. We are still your allies.’
‘I. Dee Snider, will continue to support the Transgender community and their right to choose even if they reject me and moving forward, I am open to educating myself so I can be a better ally. Sincerely, Dee Snider Your cisgender, crossdressing ally,’ he signed off.
So, he’s not exactly Ben Shapiro, now. On his twitter he often declares himself ‘purple’—meaning between republicans and democrats:
Proud to be purple. https://t.co/2gzi0fKMdf
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) May 5, 2023
However, it is interesting to see how much this situation ‘red pills’ him.
Mr. Snider also found some support:
I stand with @deesnider https://t.co/or3JMeVAok
— Lorenzo Lamas (@lorenzolamas) May 5, 2023
Though some in the medical community would disagree with me for agreeing with you, I actually agree with you wholeheartedly and align with your views on these issues.
Follow me. Would love to DM back and forth from the standpoint of a physician.
— Andrew Carroll MD FAAFP (@drcarroll) May 5, 2023
It's hard to be purple – even though most of the world is. Thank you for not only being an ally but for standing your ground on your beliefs. Isn't that what "We're Not Gonna Take It" is all about?
— Denise Rogers (@MrsRogersHood) May 5, 2023
There is no doubt that Dee is an Ally.
The problem is making an argument that parents pushing gender assignment surgery on young kids is happening often enough that we need make statements about it.
I'm kinda glad SF Pride held his feet to the fire but maybe an overreaction.
— Mmm k (@madacontract) May 5, 2023
The country needs more people who are moderate, yet critical thinkers that can see both sides.
— John Batzer (@4JTB) May 5, 2023
People need to leave Dee alone, he’s done so much for the community. He should be able to reserve his right to an honest opinion without the nonsense from the people he’s defended his whole life. https://t.co/bmF6wBOIvy
— Intellectual Contagion (@Wisdom13Sage) May 5, 2023
Some simply had their own thoughts to add:
Perhaps now he will learn there is no room for a moderate in the view of many of these organizations.
It's one extreme or the other.
— Joe (@joeg816) May 5, 2023
"I was not aware the Transgender community expects fealty and total agreement with all their beliefs and any variation or deviation is considered 'transphobic'. "
Uh..🤔 Apparently, this guy lives under a rock..🤷♀️ https://t.co/Zx4FaAc83g
— Sue Doe Nimm (@ProfKrisChen) May 5, 2023
Something isn’t right when people who stand for the rights of LBTQ-people gets cancelled by people in the LBTQ-movement.
@deesnider @jk_rowling #IStandWithJKRowling https://t.co/PlHsNxDLF7— bjornsundin (@bjornsundin) May 5, 2023
Of course, he also got some pushback:
Sorry, Dee, but I've known who I was since I was 4 years old. Most of us have known our whole lives. This position is harmful. You're on the wrong side of the subject, here.
— Elon Musk's Imaginary Conscience (@kcharaknowsbest) May 5, 2023
Weird. At that age many kids ‘know’ they are Superman or Luke Skywalker or just a princess.
I hear you, Dee, but do you get why some called your response transphobic? It's because you endorsed a myth about kids being rushed into irreversible decisions, a pernicious myth that was ginned up to create a moral panic about *all* trans folk. Why do that?
— Eric (@Eric_T_Thurman) May 5, 2023
Good lord, it is not a myth.
However, in our unscientific opinion, it looks like the feedback was mostly very positive. Even detractors were willing to be reasonable with him, which is ultimately a good sign.
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