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Beyoncé Faces Criticism For $24M Private Dubai Performance Amid UAE’s Anti-LGBTQ Policies: ‘Deeply…Disappointed’
Beyonce is facing criticism after accepting a $24 million payment for her performance at Dubai’s new Atlantis the Royal hotel on Saturday amid anti-LGBTQ policies in the United Arab Emirates.
The Grammy-winning star’s departure from the area “casts a shadow over her support for lesbians and gay people,” according to Bev Jackson, co-founder of the British advocacy group. LGB Alliance.
“Beyoncé is a huge icon for a lot of gay people,” Bev Jackson said. The Telegraph Sunday. “LGB Alliance is deeply disappointed that Beyoncé has agreed to give a lucrative concert in Dubai, where same-sex sexual acts are a criminal offense, potentially punishable by death.”
The Latest: Beyonce is facing criticism after accepting a $24 million payment for her performance at Dubai’s new Atlantis the Royal hotel on Saturday amid the United Arab Emirates’ anti-LGBTQ policies. She was photographed at the event on Saturday.
The 41-year-old Houston native performed a full live concert for the first time in four years in an hour-long concert at the new facility, at one point being lifted 16 feet into the air in the hotel’s Skyblaze fountain.
Beyonce at one point on Saturday performed the song Brown Skin Girl with her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy. While efforts were made to restrict filming of the exclusive concert, some clips leaked on social media over the weekend.
Several fans took to Twitter to ask why the wealthy “Crazy in Love” singer agreed to perform under the controversial circumstances, regardless of the finances involved.
“When you’re so rich… largely, if not entirely, thanks to the fierce loyalty of LGBTQ+ fans, how much money is simply too much to turn down performing in a homophobic country?” said one user.
The Houston native performed a full concert live for the first time in four years in a one-hour concert at the new facility.
The Grammy-winning star’s departure from the area “casts a shadow over her support for lesbians and gay people,” according to Bev Jackson, co-founder of British advocacy group LGB Alliance.
Another user suggested: “Beyoncé is not an LGBTQ+ ally when performing for money in Dubai and she literally doesn’t need a dime.”
Others questioned the idea that Beyonce, who dedicated her album Renaissance to her late Uncle Johnny and the LGBTQ+ community, was a true ally to the community after the weekend outing.
“So wait, let me clear this up,” said one user. ‘@Beyonce puts out an entire album dedicated to the LGBTQ community and then performs for the first time in years in Dubai? The same Dubai that is vehemently homophobic…?
One user said: ‘You can’t say you’re an ally of the LGBTQ+ community when you take money from a country that KILLS people for being gay.’ S*** doesn’t work like that. I’m talking about Beyonce.
Another person said: ‘Let’s be honest, now Beyonce doesn’t give a shit about lgbtq+ rights, she saw a fat check and took it.’ It’s a shame that so many gay fans of hers are so delirious that they defend her performing there too.’
Several fans took to Twitter to ask why the wealthy “Crazy in Love” singer agreed to perform under the controversial circumstances, regardless of the finances involved.
Others questioned the idea that Beyonce was a true ally of the community after leaving for the weekend.