Some Country Couples Are in a Voracious Transphobia Feud

The state of celebrity today means that I get to find out what Brittany Aldean thinks makes people trans. Now, I don’t need to see that. I don’t need to know who Brittany Aldean is, for that matter (former American Idol contestant, wife of country music star Jason Aldean, apparently), but now I do as a result of her saying mean-spirited things about a marginalized group. But here we are: Proximity to fame as well as an inability to know better are the stuff contemporary gossip is all about.

It started last week when Brittany Aldean posted on Instagram a video of herself applying makeup that was captioned, “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life ✌ .” That is shitty but predictable from someone whose Instagram bio contains a link to a webstore that sells one-piece bathing suits that read “UNAPOLOGETICALLY CONSERVATIVE” and coffee mugs that say, “I VOTED RED, YOU VOTED BLUE, DON’T BLAME ME, THIS SH*T’S [sic] ON YOU.”

Country performer/former Voice contestant Cassadee Pope then tweeted:

To which country star Maren Morris replied:

I have to tell you, a huge reason why I decided to draft this post about this feud that has been raging for days was just to take the excuse to help amplify the words, “Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.”

Us reported that a few hours after that, Brittany Aldean doubled down with that screechy kind of transphobia that, like, attempts theory with no real thinking behind it, the kind that just parrots things conservatives say to each other without bothering to consider the words and experiences of actual trans people. Aldean’s post on Friday, says the site, tagged Pope and said:

Advocating for the genital mutilation of children under the disguise of love and calling it ‘gender-affirming care’ is one of the worst evils. I will always support my children and do what I can to protect their innocence. The other day, Memphis wanted to be a dinosaur and tomorrow Navy will want to be a cat, they’re children.

The men moseyed on in to the discourse as well. Maren’s husband, fellow country artist Ryan Hurd tweeted Saturday in support of his wife and trans kids:

Somewhat hilariously, this is how E! Online says Jason Aldean showed support for his wife in this bigotry brouhaha:

As for Jason, he made it clear that he loves his wife of seven years by commenting on one of her recent Instagram photos. On Aug. 27, Brittany posted a snap of herself with the caption, “I love y’all, that’s all.” He wrote back and called her “MY Barbie!!”

Not being particularly thoughtful while doing the absolute least? Speaks volumes in this discourse.

In a move that read like a passive-aggressive fanning of the flames (just the slightest of wrist rotation), Brittany posted on her Instagram Stories a quote from Republican congressional candidate Robby Starbuck’s Instagram, according to Us:

Oh the plodding syntax. Why have two clauses when you can have three? Well, at least we know that Brittany is proud of where she stands on the issue of tomboys.

More recently, she posted this quote on her stories:

Yes, because if there’s one thing I learned about Brittany Aldean after familiarizing myself with her existence, it’s that she prioritizes compassion. When I looked her up, compassion just shot out of my screen, like pepper spray at a peaceful protest.

Morris, meanwhile, per ET’s headline, is focusing “on family time on tour with son Hayes amid Brittany Aldean feud.” I sorely hope that this isn’t the last we’ll hear from her. The world needs more bangers like (I’m taking the excuse to print it again), “Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.”

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