By JEREMY DU RIVAGE
Singer Chappell Roan, real name Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, is the subject of yet another controversy and subsequent crucifixion in the court of public opinion due to some recent comments to reporters. The Grammy-winning American singer and songwriter, known for her upbeat and queer-centric pop music, stated on the Call Her Daddy podcast:
“I don’t know everything about every topic I have opinions on, like being gay,” she said. “I don’t know everything about being a woman. I don’t know everything about fucking fashion or drag or performing. I try to know everything I can, but when I don’t answer a question correctly or I don’t acknowledge one community, it’s like, how can I do it all?”
She also stated that she didn’t have the time to be politically educated. While Chappell’s stance may be reasonable to some, it’s just the latest in a series of very confusing and, honestly, aggravating actions taken by Roan.
Personally, I do not believe any one member of a marginalized group should be singled out and forced to be an activist or spokesperson for their community. I fully believe that marginalized people should decide when and where they want to speak up. That said, opening that door carries certain expectations with it. Chappell has repeatedly been an advocate or attempted advocacy for various identities and political causes, only to clam up or backtrack when asked to discuss these issues on a deeper level.
The issue isn’t her speaking out; it’s that her actions following her statements often leave others thinking she is, at best, uninformed with her heart in the right place, or, at worst, straight-up performative and a grifter. Chappell’s brand is centered around authenticity, feminism, and the queer experience, so many people expect her to be more educated on these topics, which is understandable. Chappell claims that “People expect me to play by different rules because I’m gay,” she said. “I get asked a lot of fucking crazy questions that a lot of my peers would not get asked.” And while I agree this is happening and it’s not fair, the singer isn’t helping her case by continuing to advocate for things she’s not well informed on.
Chappell Roan isn’t just being put on trial online for her seemingly ignorant remarks or lackluster activism, no, this time, her entire character is being called into question. The singer made a lot of people very angry when she abruptly canceled her Paris and Amsterdam shows due to mental health reasons, stating that tickets would be refunded at their point of purchase, while transferring Berlin showgoers to a different date to see her performance.
Another subject of controversy came in February 2025, when she came under fire on Instagram for allegedly not paying her nail technician and instead offering “exposure” as payment. Not the most class-conscious move from someone who made a speech about livable wages at the Grammys.
Roan also faced backlash for refusing to endorse Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, a move many found disheartening. As a friend to drag queens and a queer woman herself, many expected Roan to try and mobilize people with her platform.
In all honesty, it’s not exactly shocking that Chappell isn’t actually the person she’s branding herself to be. She came up as an artist in the 2010s and is still fairly new to the music scene. It would make sense that a young millionaire celebrity is, in fact, a capitalist and has been this whole time. It’s not like queer capitalists in the public eye are a new concept. Just look at RuPaul, the iconic drag queen known to be the owner of a fracking farm.
Civil rights and liberties aren’t known to be especially popular among the rich because, well, they don’t really need to worry about them. Money keeps them safe, so they become comfortable and complacent. Criticisms of Roan for not being able to put her money where her mouth is and stand up as an advocate without jeopardizing her career are understandable. She’s clearly not the character she’s promoting herself to be.
But I would ask those reading to consider this: are we really being intellectually honest with ourselves by expecting celebrities to be our activists and our entertainers?
Featured Image: NBC News
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