If Dolly Parton can be cancelled, we're in serious trouble

The person most unlikely to be cancelled in U.S. history — iconic American singer, songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton — has been caught in the crosshairs of cancel culture.

The most uncancellable person in U.S. History — iconic American singer, songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton — has been caught in the crosshairs of cancel culture.

The country legend, also affectionately known as “The iron butterfly,” “The Smoky Mountain songbird” and “The backwoods Barbie,” among other priceless nicknames, has a blockbuster career that spans more than half a century and boasts more than 100 million records sold globally. Parton is, by all accounts, the top female country music singer of all time.

Parton has long been regaled for her happy-go-lucky personality. She has somehow managed to appeal to both ultra-conservative and ultra-liberal fans without keeping entirely quiet about the issues that matter to her and without alienating either extreme. She has long been the unscathed centrist hero of American entertainment. As the country has sharply split along primary red and blue lines with nearly every public figure choosing sides, Parton has long remained the last standing vibrant purple.

Dolly Patron is Switzerland.

Until now.

Conservative writer Ericka Andersen wrote earlier this month in the Federalist that Parton’s support of the LGBTQ2S+ community was “false gospel.” Andersen specifically said that Parton’s invoking her Christianity as the reason she is inclusive, is wrong (the writer refers to being LGBTQ2S+ as “immoral sexual behavior” and “unaligned with God’s vision for humanity”).

The post caused a windfall of right-wing vitriol aimed at Parton. Many people rallied behind the homophobic outcry while a huge contingent defended Parton. (“They came for Dolly. We ride at dawn,” one fan wrote.)