Ellie Goulding will reportedly perform Salvation Army’s NFL game after all and we were all rooting for her

Nov 14 2019
Written by Josh Milton

Ellie Goulding has taken a stand against The Salvation Army and refused to perform unless they pledge a donation to the LGBT+ community (Chris Jackson/Getty)

Singer Ellie Goulding will perform at the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game after briefly threatening to pull out due to The Salvation Army’s ‘homophobia’.

The halftime concert marks the beginning of the Christian charity’s annual Red Kettle Campaign, which helps provide food and shelter for the homeless.

Goulding initially supported The Salvation Army, but her followers flagged the organisation’s well-documented discrimination against LGBT+ people.

As a result, Goulding threatened to pull out of the performance yesterday.

The Salvation Army thanks Ellie Goulding and fans for ‘shedding light on misconceptions’.

But Fox News today reported that the Grammy-nominated artist will go ahead with the show after all, according to The Salvation Army.

In a statement from David Hudson, national commander of The Salvation Army, said the musician allegedly took the “time to learn about the services we provide to the LGBTQ community.

“Regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, we’re committed to serving anyone in need.”

The halftime show – this year between the Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills – is an annual fixture of the sporting calendar.

For the last 22 years, The Salvation Army have started their campaign with the show.

View this post on Instagram

Ok so maybe hairnet not my strongest look but thank you @salvationarmyus for having us in New York. As you know, I have spent a lot of time in shelters in London, and this was my first time in NYC… The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need. I sat and spoke to several people who had come in from the bitter cold for some food (they serve to over 150 per day here) , warmth and perhaps a chat with one of the volunteers. ??

A post shared by elliegoulding (@elliegoulding) on Nov 12, 2019 at 6:30am PST

Hudson added: “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.”

However, representatives for Goulding did not respond to Fox News‘ comment request.

Furthermore, Hudson continued that her performance will “kick off a season of giving that helps support these and many other programs and services throughout the country.”

Salvation Army’s record of LGBT+ discrimination.

The Salvation Army has a long history of opposition to LGBT+ rights.

In 2017 an official spokesperson claimed the charity had “evolved on a number of issues“, but actions speak louder than words.

In 2012, an Australian Salvation Army chief suggested that sexually active gay people should be put to death. And in 2014, the US Salvation Army was hit by allegations that it refused to help house a homeless transgender woman.

The Christian organisation is known to have internal policies actively banning gay people from serving as officers unless they remain celibate. In 2016 the UK Salvation Army chief admitted to and defended this policy.

The Salvation Army’s red collection buckets are a familiar sight on the streets at Christmas time (Tim Boyle/Getty)

Several transgender women have reported discriminatory treatment from the charity. One described the harsh conditions she faced at a shelter in Portland, Oregon, including poor physical facilities and unchallenged prejudice from other shelter users.

In 2017 The Salvation Army was at the centre of a legal battle against the NYC Commission on Human Rights after its New York rehab centres refused to serve transgender people.

They were found guilty of discriminating against transgender patients, and were charged with “gender identity discrimination” as well as “discriminatory housing policies”, which both violate the New York City human rights law.

In 2018 the Salvation Army warned its members not to discuss their opposition to LGBT+ rights in public, as further controversy could cause a “threat to our reputation”.