Photo Credit: Erik Kabik

Carlos Santana has issued an apology after delivering anti-trans remarks during his Atlantic City, N.J. stand last month. Recently, a video surfaced of the 76-year-old guitarist addressing his Garden State audience about his exclusionary beliefs, which garnered outrage and disapproval from many. 

In the video, Santana tells the audience: “When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are.” He continued, “Later on, when you grow out of it, you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that sounds good, but you know it ain’t right. Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man. That’s it. Whatever you want to do in the closet, that’s your business. I’m OK with that.”

The musician went on to mention Dave Chappelle, referring to him as his “brother” after the comedian previously shared that he identifies as “Team TERF,” otherwise known as trans-exclusionary radical feminist, during his 2021 Netflix special. 

To follow, Santana delivered the first of two apologies, starting with: “I am sorry for my insensitive comments. They don’t reflect that I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs,” he wrote via Facebook, the post has since been deleted. “I realize that what I said hurt people and that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to the transgender community and everyone I offended.”

He went on to add, “Here is my personal goal that I strive to achieve every day. I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs whether they are LGBTQ or not. This is the planet of free will and we have all been given this gift. I will now pursue this goal to be happy and have fun, and for everyone to believe what they want and follow in your hearts without fear. It takes courage to grow and glow in the light that you are and to be true, genuine, and authentic. We grow and learn to shine our light with Love and compliments.”

After removing the apology from his Facebook page, Santana replaced it with: “the energy of consciousness generates its own kind. hate begets hate. love begets love.” 

See Santana’s latest statement below.