Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford believes that America is “incredibly” homophobic.
The 74-year-old, who came out as gay in 1998, tells the Queer The Music podcast that he’s “seen a lot happen” regarding the treatment of the gay community which makes him “angry and upset”.
“America is still incredibly homophobic,” Halford states (via Blabbermouth). “I’ve lived here for a long time and I’ve seen a lot happen since the 80s. It really gets me angry and upset.”
The singer, who has homes in both the US and his native UK, says that he’s particularly bothered by fans telling him, “I love Judas Priest, but I’m not gay.”
“But when I go onstage and perform with Priest, some guys will say, ‘I love Judas Priest, but I’m not gay,’” he continues with a laugh. “You know that thing – ‘I’m a huge fan of Priest, but I’m not a gay guy’ – that still lives with me now to some extent. It might be a fraction.”
Halford adds that there’s more “acceptance” of homosexuality at shows where Priest are headlining, and that he’s noticed those audiences don’t “care” about his sexuality. “This labelling, it shouldn’t be a part of anything,” the singer says. “They shouldn’t care. It’s about what you’re doing. It’s about your art and your craft and your work. That’s all that matters.”
Halford came out during an interview with MTV while promoting his 90s supergroup 2wo, who were executive-produced by Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor. The singer says that his decision to come out “wasn’t premeditated”.
“I hadn’t woke up that morning and [said to myself], ‘I’m gonna come out,’” he remembers. “It was just the way I’m talking to you now. It was just a pure stream of consciousness just talking away, and so it just came into the conversation and that was that.”
Since President Donald Trump retook office in January 2025, the USA has rolled back a number of executive orders that promoted equality for LGBTQ+ people. He has also made it official policy for gender to be recognised based on the biological sex of a person at birth, and fought to limit Diversity, Equity And Inclusion (DEI): workplace frameworks that encourage equal treatment of all people regardless of race, gender or sexuality. In April, the advocacy group GLAAD called Trump “the president with the most anti-LGBTQ actions to his name in United States history”.
Priest are currently touring the US with Alice Cooper. The package hits the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach tonight (September 24). See the other remaining dates via Priest’s website.
Watch Queer The Music’s two-part interview with Halford below:
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