“Completely misguided”: Village People singer denies “Y.M.C.A.” is a gay anthem; defends Trump use

Village People’s 1978 hit “Y.M.C.A.” has been a staple of Donald Trump’s campaign rallies since 2020. Now, Victor Willis, the group’s lead vocalist, is defending Trump’s use of the song and refuting its long-held status as a gay anthem. 

In a lengthy post on his Facebook page, Willis explained why he allowed Trump to continue using the song at his rallies despite receiving “over 1,000” complaints about the president-elect’s song choice. “I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of the song in the face of so many other artists withdrawing the use of their material,” Willis, who co-wrote “Y.M.C.A.,” said in the post. 

Willis continued by addressing the public’s perception of “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem in the decades since its release. “That is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner [Jacques Morali] was gay, and that some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life,” Willis said, referring to the band’s 1978 album, “Cruisin’.” The singer further claimed that he was oblivious to the knowledge that the titular community center was a refuge for gay men in the late ’70s. “I knew nothing about the Y being a [hangout] for gays when I wrote the lyrics,” Willis said. He also stated that, if news organizations continue to refer to “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem, he will pursue litigation. “This must stop because it is damaging to the song,” he concluded.

Willis also thanked Trump in the post, attributing the song’s resurgence to Trump’s use of it on the campaign trail “The financial benefits have been great,” Willis said in his statement. “Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the president-elect’s continued use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ And I thank him for choosing to use my song.”