Why I Will Survive singer Gloria Gaynor is over for the gay community

She’s been happy to take money performing at gay events but controversial I Will Survive singer Gloria Gaynor has finally crossed a line.

Despite her earlier statement in 2017 asserting a reluctance to be ‘very political’, Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show that since 2023, Gaynor has donated nearly $22,000 to a range of conservative and MAGA-aligned Republican candidates, including notable figures such as Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and Marco Rubio, alongside influential political action committees supporting right-wing agendas.

Given her long-standing image as a symbol of empowerment and resilience within LGBTQ+ spaces, this is a smack in the mouth. The controversy intensified when former President Donald Trump announced he would honour Gaynor at the Kennedy Center, a move that provoked backlash among some of her LGBTQ+ fans and commentators. Ana Navarro, a co-host of The View, publicly urged Gaynor to decline the award, citing Trump’s history of opposing the rights of women, people of colour, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Despite these donations, Gaynor has not publicly identified herself as a Trump supporter and has reportedly contributed to several Republican figures who have positioned themselves at odds with Trump, such as Ben Carson, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy. However, her support for candidates associated with the MAGA movement and conservative causes has left her political stance open to interpretation.

Adding to the complexity, Gaynor’s remarks on LGBTQ+ issues have been controversial over the years. In a 2007 BBC interview, she expressed a desire to ‘lead gays to Christ’. Honey, we don’t need your leading. When asked about her role as a gay icon, she has expressed that her purpose is to bring ‘the love of Christ’ to her fans – again, intervention unnecessary – positioning her platform as one for religious outreach. In a 2019 NPR interview, Gaynor clarified her position by emphasising her love and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community despite her Christian beliefs, a nuance that somewhat contrasts with earlier interpretations of her statements.
Source: Noah Wire Services