""Before I met her, I loved her because she took a risk and accepted me (and all of us) for being gay in a time where she didn’t need to say anything," singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile posted on Instagram Tuesday.
"She never wavered on accepting anyone for who they were and who they were meant to be."
As the Guardian points out in its tribute, Parton was beloved by many, "but it was perhaps her gay fans who claimed her most vociferously and publicly."
And, as dozens of 2SLGBTQ+ writers and media publications have noted since Tuesday's announcement, the world lost an icon, but "the queer community ... lost one of its most steadfast advocates."
'Always on the right side of history'
So, how did the granddaughter of a preacher, who grew up inside a two-room Appalachian cabin, become a global advocate and icon for the 2SLGBTQ+ community?"
Framing: assertive ·
First seen: 2026-08-27 ·
Last seen: 2026-08-27 ·
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