NBA icon Charles Barkley wades into the Bud Light transgender debate with impassioned speech on stage in Lake Tahoe: “If you’re gay, bless you… if you have a problem with that, f*** you!”
- Barkley said in his playing time that he was not bothered by gay teammates
- The Hall-of-Famer is known for supporting the LGBTQ+ community
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley returned to Lake Tahoe and reiterated his support for the trans and gay communities at a celebrity golf tournament.
Barkley, who gave an impassioned speech last year returned at the same event to reiterate his support amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and legislation in the United States.
The “Inside the NBA” analyst appeared slightly intoxicated as he took the stage and delivered an impassioned message to the audience as he targeted bigots and those who were critics of companies, such as Bud Light, for supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
“I want you all to drink this goddamn beer,” Barkley said. “I want you all to drink this damn beer. I have three boxes of Bud Light.”
And I want to say this – if you’re gay, bless you. If you’re transgender, bless you. And if you have a problem with that, f*** you!’
Charles Barkley took the stage at an event in Lake Tahoe in support of the LGBTQ+ community
The Inside the NBA analyst has long been a proponent of same-sex marriage and gay rights
Barkley is in Lake Tahoe participating in a famous golf tournament, the American Century
WARNING: CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
It was similar in style and content to the speech he gave in 2022, but the context of this situation has changed somewhat.
Protests against Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney were one of many examples of anti-trans demonstrations and rhetoric.
Anheuser-Busch reportedly posted a $27 billion loss when people protested earlier this year.
In addition, multiple states have passed laws restricting or completely banning gender confirmation treatments and surgeries for both younger patients and adults.
Barkley was on the record before declaring his support for the LGBTQ+ community, saying in 2011 that he felt confident playing alongside gay teammates and never felt encumbered by them.
“First of all, society discriminates against gay people,” Barkley said in 2011 on a DC radio show.
“They always try to ensure that gays are discriminated against. I have long been a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, because as a black person I do not experience any form of discrimination at all.’
Barkley is currently in the Lake Tahoe area competing in the American Century Championship – a celebrity golf tournament.