Every so often good news comes out that should be reported, people who are allies in the fight against hate. One such constant ally to the gay community is Dolly Parton. Dolly always has had gay fans and accepts us for who we are, just as we accept her for who she is. She was recently interviewed on Larry King and was asked about her support for our community. If you missed this news I think it is important enough to bring it out to the attention of a broader audience.
PARTON: Well, I have a lot of gay fans, female and male. And I think I've been at this so long a lot of people feel like they've grown up with me. As you know, I've always been outspoken, I've always been pretty outrageous, I always believe that a person should be who they are.
And you should be comfortable being who you are and people should leave you alone to be who you are in how you are. So I think I've always been accepted in the gay community because I accept them. And I have so many fans that always love to come to the shows and they know that I'm not judging them.
I think people are who they are and I'm not God, I'm not a judge, we're supposed to love each other exactly for who and what we are. KING: Why do you think there is hostility toward gays? Why are gays bullied?
PARTON: Well, I'm not sure about all of the reasons that people act the way they do about other people. I just think we need to dig down a little deeper and try to be a little kinder to one another and accept one another for -- you know, for who we are.
I mean, you can't tell me that people are any way other than what they're supposed to be. I don't think gay people are trying to just be different just to make other people miserable. I think people are being who they are and I think they are -- they should be who they are.
And I think we should be a little more tolerant, a little more accepting and understanding of not just the gays but other people. Minorities. We just don't have enough love to really -- to live in this world.
KING: But --
PARTON: We really need to. And that's one of -- one of the songs that I wrote for the "Joyful Noise" musical. It's called "Not Enough Love," and -- or it's called "Not Enough." And that's the duet that I sang with Queen Latifah, and we really enjoyed singing it. It's like -- it's just saying, you know, why can't we be more accepting and loving and tolerant?
KING: But -- didn't you grow up where you grew up around segregation?
PARTON: Yes. Actually, and I didn't know -- we didn't know any blacks or Hispanics or any of those people growing up. I grew up way back in the mountains. The first black person I ever saw was when I went to high school at Severe County High School when I started in 1960.
And the first black people we knew -- there were about four black students in our school. And there was a girl in our class and her name was Parton. So they used to kid me all the time. They were saying, is this your sister? I said, well, yes, she is. And so it was like -- so we had -- I was the Parton there and right next to me in our yearbook is like the other Parton, and she's black and white. I thought, well, that'd a God smile right there.
And then like when I was working with Queen Latifah, her name is Dana Owens, and my mother's maiden name is Owens, too. And so I said there, I said look, my first black friend was a Parton and now my next black friend or close friend, if we get to be that close, is an Owens. So I said we are sisters. We're all sisters and brothers anyway. So I thought that was just a cute -- yes.
KING: Speaking of -- speaking of sisters and brothers, you were one of 12 children but you never had children of your own. Ever regret that?
PARTON: No. This day and time, I regret it even less. I used to think I wanted children but I don't have children now. But I tell you, looking at the way this world is now, it's like I'm almost glad I don't. It's -- I worry enough about my brothers and sisters and their children, and my little nieces and nephews, and just other people's children.
I just, you know, hope that they all -- you know do great. And so I make a perfect aunt. I get a chance to keep them, take them to -- you know, to Dollywood. They love that. Or take them -- take them to one of our Dixie Stampede Dinner Theaters, which I forgot to mention.
We've got a new pirate theme at one of our Dixie Stampedes in Myrtle Beach this next year, and I got to write all the music for that, and I can't wait to take -- you know, the kids to go see all that. So I make a better aunt than I would have a mother, I think.
I could not have said it better myself.