Queer icon Dolly Parton dies at 80

American singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton died on August 25 in Nashville after a short battle with cancer. Over a nearly 60-year career, Parton has become one of country's top stars and has released dozens of hits.

For generations of LGBTQ people, Parton was also a queer icon. And it wasn’t just her recognizable image and popularity among drag artists. The singer has been an outspoken advocate for the community for years.

Even before the legalization of same-sex marriage throughout the United States, she publicly supported marriage equality and said that people should be able to be themselves and love those they love.

Parton has repeatedly spoken out in support of transgender people. In 2016, she spoke out against North Carolina's transphobic law and said everyone deserves respect and the opportunity to be themselves. Following the attack at the gay club Pulse in Orlando, the singer also condemned hatred of LGBTQ people and emphasized that no one should be a victim of violence because of who they are.

Years later, her position has not changed. In 2023, as Parton's native Tennessee passed restrictions affecting transgender people, she said she tried to look at the "human side" of the issue first and wanted everyone to be treated with dignity. Parton has also spoken many times about her love for drag culture and joked that if she had been born a man, she would probably have become a drag queen. Once the singer even took part in a Dolly Parton look-alike competition among drag artists - and lost.

Let us remember Dolly Parton not only for her music, but also for her many years of consistent support for the queer community.