I don’t claim to be a gay hero, says Ariana after Pride furore
ARIANA GRANDE has defended herself from criticism after she was chosen to headline M Manchester’s Pride event.
The 25-year-old American singer was performing at the city’s Arena in 2017 when a terrorist let off a bomb, killing 22 people.
This week it was announced that Miss Grande, who is heterosexual, would star at Pride in August, which will include a candlelit vigil for those who died.
But some in the LGBT community questioned t whether she was the best choice to headline Pride when ‘she’s straight’. Others claimed that her inclusion in the event had pushed up ticket prices.
In a statement, Miss Grande said: ‘I’m not claiming to be the hero of the community or the face of the LGBTQ rights movement – I just want to put on a show that makes my LGBTQ fans feel special and celebrated and supported … Also I want to visit a city that means so much to me.’