Paul Stanley Causes Ruckus Over Trans Kids

Kiss rocker is worried about a 'lifestyle that confuses young children'
By Steve Huff,  Newser Staff
Posted May 1, 2023 10:15 AM CDT
Paul Stanley Issues Statement on Trans Kids
Paul Stanley, of the rock band Kiss, points at a camera during a concert.   (Heather Khalifa/The Saginaw News via AP)

Kiss rocker Paul Stanley was met with both backlash and agreement after posting a statement on social media regarding gender reassignment for children, per TMZ. On Sunday, the 71-year-old tweeted a statement titled "My Thoughts on What I'm Seeing." In it, he indicated that he feels "teaching acceptance" is good, but he has a problem with "normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification." He went on to acknowledge that there "ARE individuals who as adults may decide reassignment is their needed choice." But Stanley stated that "normalizing" gender reassignment "because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister's clothes or a girl in her brother's" is "far from the innocence of what they are doing."

Some responded to Stanley's statement with dismay, others with sarcasm:

  • Kevin Wasserman, guitarist for the Offspring, responded by calling the statement "a very disappointing take, especially from someone who wore high-heels, makeup, & teased up hair his whole career."
  • Rolling Stone points out that "Stanley has conflated sexuality and gender identity, which develop independently."
  • NBC's Ben Collins joked, "The idea of KISS (!) of all bands complaining about gender nonconforming people is just ... chef's kiss."
  • Some who agreed with Stanley responded with overt transphobia, while others simply said, "Thank you for speaking up Paul."
(More Paul Stanley stories.)

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