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Formerly Gay Alt-Folk Singer Michelle Shocked Slams Gay Marriage During Concert
Alt-folk singer Michelle Shocked incited a mass walk-out during her concert Sunday after launching into an anti-gay-marriage diatribe, Yahoo! reports.
Shocked, who first broke out in 1988 with her debut album Short Sharp Shocked, is known for having largely liberal-leaning fans and was performing in the very LGBT-friendly San Francisco. Shocked performed one set without fuss before she began talking about the evils that would happen if California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage, is overturned by the courts. She cited verses from the Old Testament condemning homosexuality and encouraged the crowd to go on Twitter "and say 'Michelle Shocked says God hates f---.'"
Shocked's performance, and subsequent rant, was cut short by the venue operator who said that, as a gay man, he could not allow the show to go on and told her to leave the stage. Hours after the incident, many fans went online and said they believe her career is done. At least eight venues have canceled scheduled Shocked performances in light of her remarks.
Her words came as a particular surprise since Shocked, 51, was identified as a lesbian for much of her career — although she has repeatedly denied the label. As recently as 2008, Shocked told the Dallas gay publication Edge, "I'm here to say not that homosexuality is wrong. I'm here to say that there is reconciliation through the blood of Jesus Christ for every human being on the face of this earth. And no one is entitled to speak on God's behalf and say who does and who doesn't have that right. Because that price was paid—purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. ... Homosexuality is no more or less a sin than fornication. And I'm a fornicator with a capital F."
Shocked, who was married for 12 years to journalist Bart Bull, most recently made headlines in November 2011 when she was arrested during the eviction of the Occupy Los Angeles movement.
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