We’re just about another two weeks out from the annual Thanksgiving games, but there is already controversy surrounding the performer of the day’s halftime show at Cowboy Stadium.
Multi-platinum singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding is now threatening to pull of the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff, a halftime concert that marks the beginning of the annual Red Kettle Campaign, unless the organization pledges a significant donation to the LGBTQ community.
This entire thing kicked off after she posted her support for the organization on Instagram.
Several of her fans then blasted Salvation Army in her comments, with one of them calling it “extremely homo/transphobic” and accusing it of “letting queer homeless [people] die.”
Goulding reacted to the fan’s comment by stating she would pull out of the concert unless the Salvation Army unless it makes a donation to the LGBTQ community.
“Upon researching this, I have reached out to The Salvation Army and said that I would have no choice but to pull out unless they very quickly make a solid, committed pledge or donation to the LGBTQ community,” she wrote. “I am a committed philanthropist as you probably know, and my heart has always been in helping the homeless, but supporting an anti-LGBTQ charity is clearly not something I would ever intentionally do. Thank you for drawing my attention to this.”
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The Salvation Army declined to say Tuesday whether the concert would go on as planned, according to Dallas News. In an emailed statement, David Hudson, National Commander of the Salvation Army, said, “With an organization of our size and history, myths can perpetuate. An individual’s sexual or gender identity, religion, or lifestyle has no bearing on our willingness to provide service. We stand firmly behind our mission to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
