Carlos Santana compares himself to Dave Chappelle & tells trans people to go back in the closet

Rock musician Carlos Santana has apologized for anti-trans comments he made at a recent concert.

Video from one of Santana’s two July shows in Atlantic City, New Jersey, went viral this week. The clip shows the 76-year-old musician onstage rambling about “reality.”

Related:

Alice Cooper repeats just about every anti-trans talking point in vile rant

He really covered everything on the anti-trans bingo card in a recent interview.

“When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are,” he said. “Later on, when you grow out up and you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that… 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 wanna do in the closet, that’s your business. I’m OK with that.”

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“I am like this with my brother Dave Chappelle,” Santana continued, making a hand gesture apparently signaling his solidarity with the comedian who has become notorious in recent years for his anti-trans comedy.

On Thursday, Santana posted a statement on Facebook apologizing the comments.

“I am sorry for my insensitive comments,” he wrote. “They don’t reflect that I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs. 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.”

“Here is my personal goal that I strive to achieve every day,” he continued. “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. Have a glorious existence. Peace.”

Santana joins a growing list of aging rock stars who have made anti-trans comments recently. Earlier this year, Kiss frontman Paul Stanley and Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider both made headlines for anti-trans comments they made on social media, questioning whether parents should affirm their trans and nonbinary children’s gender identities. Both rockers later attempted to walk back their statements, which perpetuated the current moral panic around transgender youth that has led to Republican efforts to ban gender-affirming care for young people in states across the country.

In an interview published earlier this week, shock rocker Alice Cooper went on a vile rant, parroting dangerous anti-trans misinformation and right-wing talking points.

Update: Santana appears to have deleted his apology.