Jack White is speaking out about a homophobic incident that took place at one of his concerts in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
White wrote in an Instagram post that he learned of two women who were stopped from kissing by an usher at one of his shows on Friday at Rogers Place in Edmonton and that the incident “disappointed” him.
“It’s 2018 now and two people expressing affection shouldn’t have to hide,” White said on Tuesday night while sharing a photo of two women kissing at a 1964 Beatles concert. “The news that two women were stopped from kissing during my show in Edmonton really disappointed me.”
White added that at a subsequent show, he dedicated his song “Love Interruption” to the two women and “encouraged everyone in the crowd to kiss their loved ones.”
“Let’s promote love and acceptance wherever and whenever we can,” White said.
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According to CBC News, Allyson MacIvor said she was kissing her girlfriend during White’s performance of “Seven Nation Army” when they were confronted by an usher who placed her hand in between the two of them.
“I embraced my girlfriend, and some staff member came in between us, and she said, ‘This is not allowed here,’” MacIvor said. “It was very violating and invasive…It’s not something I’d ever imagine experiencing, honestly.”
A Senior Vice President with Oilers Entertainment Group said in a statement that OEG is conducting a review of the situation and has additionally reached out to MacIvor and offered to host her and her partner at an upcoming Fleetwood Mac concert at Rogers Place, as well as invited her to provide input on the company’s inclusion training. Read the full statement below:
Our Rogers Place team is conducting a thorough review of this situation. Oilers Entertainment Group and Rogers Place are committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for all guests. This incident does not align with our values and we take a zero tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. We unequivocally welcome and support all members of the LGBTQ community.
We have reached out to Allyson and expressed our sincere apology and support. To ensure she feels welcome and safe in our building, we will be hosting her and her partner at the upcoming Fleetwood Mac concert and have also offered her an opportunity to provide input on our inclusion training. We thank Allyson for reaching out to us and offering to work together on this matter.
We have clear policies, procedures and training in place for all OEG staff related to inclusivity, which we communicate regularly. It would be inappropriate to comment on next steps until the review is complete, but rest assured we are taking this seriously and will take any necessary steps needed to ensure full alignment with our policies and procedures related to creating a safe and inclusive space for all guests.
According to CBC, MacIvor added that she later spoke to a Rogers Place manager, who apologized profusely, but that they still filed an incident report.
MacIvor also shared her experience on her Facebook page, clarifying the nature of the incident.
“I looked at her with the most shocked, dumbfounded look, and clarified, “You mean kiss her? Im not allowed to kiss her here? Is that what you mean?”, where she again said, “Yes, and if you have a problem with that you can speak to my manager,” MacIvor wrote.