Amid pressure from activist fans on social media, English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding issued a statement Tuesday demanding that one of the world’s most impactful charities, The Salvation Army, “very quickly make a solid, committed pledge or donation to the LGBTQ community” — or else she “would have no choice but to pull out” of her scheduled half-time performance at the Thanksgiving Day NFL game kicking off the charity’s “Red Kettle Campaign.” On Wednesday, the organization, which raised over $140 million for impoverished people last year, issued an update on the situation: After learning “the truth about The Salvation Army’s mission to serve all,” Goulding will be performing as scheduled on Thanksgiving.
The Salvation Army did not take the allegation lying down, quickly pushing back against the claim. “With an organization of our size and history, myths can perpetuate,” a spokesperson for the organization told NBC5 Tuesday. “An individual’s sexual or gender identity, religion, or lifestyle has no bearing on our willingness to provide service. We stand firmly behind our mission to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
On Wednesday, the organization issued an update on the situation with Goulding, thanking her and the activists who made the false claim for inadvertently “shedding light on misconceptions” about them. Goulding, The Salvation Army announced, will be performing as planned now that’s she’s learned about how much they actually do for the LGBTQ community.
“We’d like to thank Ellie Goulding and her fans for shedding light on misconceptions and encouraging others to learn the truth about The Salvation Army’s mission to serve all, without discrimination,” said Commissioner David Hudson, National Commander of the Salvation Army, as reported by Fort Worth Star-Telegram. – READ MORE