Music
Carlos Santana Deletes Apology Over Trans Closet Comment
Carlos Santana has removed a Facebook apology he wrote after a viral video surfaced this week showing him saying transgender persons should stay “in the closet.” The 76-year-old musician can be seen interrupting the show in the video to share his opinions on gender identity with an audience of 5,000 people.
“When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are,” Santana, who grew up in San Francisco, said in the YouTube video, which was posted on Aug. 19.
“Later on, as you grow out of it, you see things and begin to believe that you could be something that sounds good, but you know it’s not right.” Because a woman is still a woman and a guy is still a man. That’s all. Whatever you want to do in the closet is your prerogative. That’s fine with me.”
Carlos Santana apologised on Facebook: “I realise that what I said hurt people, and that was not my intent.” I truly apologise to the transgender community and anyone else I may have upset.”
However, Carlos Santana had removed that statement from his Facebook profile by the next morning.
During his rant last month, filmed at a Hard Rock Live at the Etess Arena stop on his 1001 Rainbows Tour and first shared on Reddit, Santana also praised comedian Dave Chappelle, referring to the comedian who came under fire for making transphobic jokes in his 2021 Netflix special “The Closer” as “my brother.”
Santana’s words received criticism from a variety of sources, including San Francisco Pride executive director Suzanne Ford and board president Nguyen Pham.
“Carlos Santana’s recent anti-trans comments are particularly disheartening as he is a prominent Bay Area resident,” they said in a joint statement to the Chronicle.
“The fact that he used his incredible platform, onstage, to spew hate underscores the gravity of perpetuating misinformation in a society where gender’s spectrum is well-established.”
The incident occurred as anti-LGBTQ legislation was being introduced in state legislatures across the United States. Almost two dozen states have prohibited or limited transgender athletes from participating in sports at the K-12 or collegiate levels. Approximately 20 states have passed laws or policies, some of which have been overturned by courts, prohibiting gender-affirming medical care, such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and minor surgery.
“Carlos Santana’s influence necessitates responsible discourse, particularly given the marginalised position of transgender people facing discrimination and violence,” Ford and Pham wrote.
“As a community striving for inclusivity, we must use this moment to reinforce empathy, education, and unity in the face of discriminatory policies, and to encourage allies like Santana to use their influence to promote understanding rather than perpetuate harmful stereotypes.”
The debut of the video coincided with the release of tickets for Santana’s upcoming documentary, “Carlos: The Santana Journey,” directed by Emmy Award winner Rudy Valdez.
The documentary, which will air on September 23, will showcase previously unseen archive material charting Santana’s life from his childhood in Tijuana, Mexico, where he struggled with poverty and sexual assault, through his rise in the San Francisco music scene and subsequent international stardom.
Santana was up in San Francisco’s Mission District and attended Mission High School before breaking out with singles like “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways,” as well as the multiplatinum “Supernatural” album in 1999.
Guitarist Carlos Santana currently resides in Las Vegas and will start his 11th year of residency at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay next month, after a brief sabbatical due to a heart treatment in 2021.
Santana informed the audience at the same events where the viral video was taken, “We want you to feel precious and priceless because you are significant and meaningful.” It is critical to validate and appreciate yourself.”
