Reba McEntire: Don't Hate on Same-Sex Marriage

categories: Gay Marriage, LGBT Celebrities, LGBT Entertainment, Marriage Equality

Published August 23, 2009 @ 08:08PM PT

Reba McEntire

Another celebrity joins the side of equal rights, with country superstar Reba McEntire saying that when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage, people shouldn't judge. Seems like pretty simple advice, albeit one that might challenge some of Reba's listeners. After all, country music fans are far more likely to vote for conservatives than progressives.

McEntire will be interviewed in the upcoming issue of Out Magazine, becoming the second country music star to be featured in the mag (behind Martina McBride). For McEntire, it's a Biblical principle not to judge LGBT folks.

"I just try not to judge. Don't judge me, and I won't judge you. And that's what it says in the Bible -- 'Don't judge.'"

Perhaps McEntire might want to share those thoughts with a few Lutheran pastors who blame tornadoes on homosexuality, or a couple of evangelicals from Illinois who like to compare LGBT people to Nazis.

McEntire goes on to say that her principle of 'non-judgment' carries over to same-sex marriage, throwing a shout-out to her gay friends. And her straight ones, too. Because the issue isn't about religion, it's about love.

"Keep an open mind. That would be my voice. I have gay friends. I have a lot of straight friends. I don't judge them. I take them for what they are. They're my friends, and I can't defend my feelings for them, other than I like 'em," said McEntire. "I have gay friends who have partners, and I see where they would want to get married. I understand why. So, I can't judge that."

Very cool to see prominent straight allies - especially ones who might be challenging a portion of their audience - take a public step in support of marriage equality.

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Comments (12)

Cool...Sent off to multiple folk both above and below the M-D line.

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 08/23/2009 @ 08:26PM PT
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I agree; this is a big deal.

Posted by S B on 08/23/2009 @ 08:50PM PT
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x3 for agreeing as well. Now if we could only get Obama to separate his theological principles, and segregation for LGBT. with the principles of ethics and equality for all not just those who the majoriy of religions favor.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/23/2009 @ 09:53PM PT
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Reba rocks!

Posted by cynthia dennis on 08/24/2009 @ 10:20AM PT
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It's good that country music star, Reba McEntire supports the necessary tolerance for the LGBT community. Same-sex marriage is equality for LGBT people, but also creates tolerance because oppression is unjustified. With Reba McEntire's view of not judging people, she also has LGBT friends which reinforces that concept of not judging. Country music fans are known for their conservatism and when Out Magazine comes out, the fans should take her word.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/24/2009 @ 01:09PM PT
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I always thought she was one hot babe and now she's even hotter...Hell yeah.

She rocks indeed.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/24/2009 @ 10:26PM PT
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You GO, Reba! It's especially good to see that there are artists in a niche which has traditionally seemed very conservative who do not hate anyone. I applaud Reba. I am not into Country Music but I will make it my business to buy a couple of her CDs, just as I did in the case of the Dixie Chicks when the opposed this war of agression in Iraq.

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 08/26/2009 @ 02:52AM PT
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Go Reba! She sure is going out on a limb with the business she's in. But I have to tell you, I'm a liberal democrat who loves her county music. I think people like me are growing in numbers with as mainstream as country is these days. I hope we can change the minds of a few of those conservative country music listeners and bring them a little more mainstream too!

Posted by Kate F on 08/26/2009 @ 08:48AM PT
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Reba,

You are sorely misinformed. Your statement about judgements is way off base. The truth is we have to judge daily to stay within moral bounds set by our creator who set the rules of nature or of eternal blessings. Marriage is given to man to learn to be similar to God. Man is an eternal being sent here to have a earthly experience, which experiernce gives man the ability to have children and learn right from wrong. To have children is share in God's ability to creat life. Anything else is contrary to God's plan and purpose. Yes he loves all of us and every sinner is included. Abhorrent behavior is exactly what destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of these cities demanded that Lot give them the men visiting them. (If you recall they were divine angels who had come to help remove any righteous from the two cities). Their intent was to know them......it isn't about wether two people of the same sex can love each other. It is about controling your appetites and passions and using them only in a way approved by God. He set the standards and gave us guidelines. We also have a conscience which is the light of Christ which gives every man (or woman) the ability to judge with righteous judgement. It wasn't meant to condeme but to seperate right from wrong and give understanding towards the direction of ones life, or in attending the needs of help for ones family. Homosexuality is a pitfall created by man to live a selfish lifestyle. Selfish because it does not take on the Heavenly dictated law of blessings which come through obedience and observance of his laws and ordinances. When we recieve any blessing, it is only by strict obedience to the laws and ordinances that were and have been ordained before the begining of this world. Read Proverbs and study vs 8 to the end of the chapter. You'll know more abaout who you are and to where your family originates. Knowledge is information, which you have, wisdom is the ability to put in to play those principles which will guide in eternal truth a soul or souls which can return to the God that created them in HIS image. He started with a man and created a woman as his partner. They become partners with God in rearing a family as he designed it and began with. God does not change. He need not change as he is all light and truth, everlasting to everlasting without begining and without end. His creations are without number. His illumination of understanding is the fire needed to light information into understanding of the truth. Men were never meant to join with men, and like wise women with women. It doesn't mean they don't have the ability or desire to love the same sex, it means they need to control their desires and fulfill God's commandment to be fruitful and multiply. You can't do that with the same sex. It was never about judging as that was taken care of for us by God in the begining! Homosexuality is really about purpose, understanding and selfcontrol. You don't have to hate to understand someone is making a big mistake. Christ showed anger when he cleared his fathers house, the temple. Those whom abused it were run out. Futher on we learn that our bodies are temples and that we are to keep them reveared as such. Search this out about being a temple of your divine spirit which spirit is also God's. Sexual desire was given man to accept the responcibility of Home and a family besides pleasure for its own purpose. Very few would accept it without this tie. Anything more or less than this is not of God.

Posted by James Holloway on 08/31/2009 @ 11:07PM PT
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Your right though, it isn't for us to judge; that has already been done. Now it is a matter of which side you will stand on..... not marriage or homosexuality but, simply, right or wrong. You don't have to condeme or judge to make the choice.

Posted by James Holloway on 08/31/2009 @ 11:16PM PT
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James, I'm glad those beliefs work for you. Good thing we live in a country with a clear separation between church and state, and one in which religious denominations are able to define what marriage means to them. Government, meanwhile, is called to value all of its citizens equally - not champion a set of religious beliefs that judge one person over another.

Posted by Michael Jones on 09/01/2009 @ 04:54AM PT
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Good for Reba.She is showing what true love and acceptance of us is like.

Posted by Martin Martinez on 10/02/2009 @ 08:21AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.