Cara Delevingne Denounces Coachella in Light of ‘Anti-LGBT’ Owner
Cara Delevingne has doubled down on her stance as a conscientious Coachella objector after praising Beyonce's 2018 set at the annual festival.
Delevingne, who's previously criticized the event in light of reports that say Coachella's owner funds anti-LGBT projects, confused fans this weekend when she gave Queen Bey praise. Delevingne quickly made the distinction between appreciating art and standing by her political convictions, though.
“Some people are commenting on the fact that I posted about my anger towards the owner of Coachella and then about Beyoncé,” Delevingne wrote in an Instagram story. “I still refuse to go to a festival that is owned by someone who is anti LGBT and pro gun. I am allowed to shame that man and the festival and still show my appreciation of an artist at the same time. Just because I love Beyoncé doesn’t mean I now love Coachella. I still wouldn’t go."
Delevingne had previously said she was "speechless" after watching Beyonce's set.
“That performance made me burst into tears and sent shivers down my spine," she wrote. "Especially the Destiny’s child reunion. ICONIC is an understatement. Thank you for inspiring so many and for lifting each other up.”
Philip Anschutz, the owner of Coachella's parent company AEG, has reportedly issued thousands of dollars to several anti-LGBTQ organizations and is an active climate-change denier, according to a 2017 report published by UPROXX.
Anschutz has financially supported the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Family Research Council and the National Christian Foundation — all three of which vehemently lobby against LGBTQ rights.
Anschutz claimed in a statement provided to Rolling Stone that his alleged donations to anti-LGBT groups was exaggerated.
"Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news – it is all garbage," he wrote. "I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation. We are fortunate to employ a wealth of diverse individuals throughout our family of companies, all of whom are important to us – the only criteria on which they are judged is the quality of their job performance; we do not tolerate discrimination in any form."