THE HUFFINGTON POST/GAY VOICES
By James Nichols
With the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics only weeks away and violence currently plaguing the Russian population, the planned response to and protest of the country’s anti-gay laws are gaining more traction than ever.
One suggestion made by activists to respond to the situation involved playing the Village People hit “Y.M.C.A.,” largely understood as a gay anthem, as the American Olympians are introduced at the start of the games. Village People frontman Victor Willis, however, is isn’t on board with the idea.
In fact, Willis is claiming that the disco track was never even intended to be an anthem for the gay community!
“If they want to use the song that way, go right ahead, but I think it’s silly because the lyrics were written by me as an expression of urban youths having fun at the YMCA,” Willis reportedly stated. “The words were crafted by me to be taken any number of ways but not specific to gays. It’s much broader than that. The song is universal. I don’t mind that gays think the song is about them but I won’t perform the song in support of any protest.”
