In what might prove to be a career-challenging move, country singer Carrie Underwood told British publication The Independent that she supports same-sex marriage:

“As a married person myself, I don’t know what it’s like to be told I can’t marry somebody I love, and want to marry,” she said. “I can’t imagine how that must feel. I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love.“
The singer and her husband, pro hockey player Mike Fisher, attend what Underwood describes as a “gay friendly” church in Nashville. Underwood went on to explain that her support for marriage equality stems from her faith, and that it isn’t anyone’s right to use their beliefs for hate or to judge others.
I commend Underwood for coming out and risking the backlash she may get from her mostly-conservative fanbase. Her popularity may even help to start a worthwhile conversation within the more moderate churches and propel others in her sector of the entertainment industry to show their support.
Country music fans might recognize parallels in the potential backlash against Underwood to the Dixie Chicks’ fallout with their fans after their public declaration in 2003 that they were “ashamed” to be from the same state as George W. Bush after the United States entered war with Iraq. Whether or not you’re a fan of Underwood, hopefully you agree that she doesn’t deserve to lose any popularity over her remarks. It would be a sign that fans of the genre have become a little more progressive with their beliefs since that incident.