Dolly Parton backs gay marriage

17 Nov 2009

Written by Ron Hughes
Another celebrity has thrown their weight behind equal marriage rights, with country singer and long-time gay favourite Dolly Parton saying she supports gay marriage.

In an interview on cable news network CNN, Parton also said she believed her gay fans identified with her.

"I think it's because they know I'm different too, and it took me a long time to be accepted. And I think that they just kind of relate to that," she told CNN presenter Joy Behar.

"Besides, my gay god-friends, they love to dress up and they're very creative and I think they relate to that side of me too."

Parton also believes gay fans pick up on the fact she simply accepts people for who they are: "We're not supposed to try to change people, we should allow people to be who they are and love them as they are."

When asked about gay marriage, given that she comes from a religious background, she replied, "I always say, sure, why can't they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us do!"

Responding to a viewer's question on what she thought of Texas preacher Joel Osteen, who recently said gays were "not God's best work", Parton replied, "Well, I don't really get into talking about this issue; but I think God made us who we are and how we are. I don't think if he [Osteen] was a religious person he would be judging people."

Article taken from SXNews