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Country singer Zach Bryan has zero patience for transphobic trolls online

By · Updated on January 26, 2024

Zach Bryan has come out against the anti-trans views of his peers in country music. In a series of tweets over the weekend, the “Something In The Orange” singer called out fellow country singer Travis Tritt for the hypocrisy of his songwriting.

Since Bud Light featured trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a recent campaign, conservatives have been faced with a near impossible dilemma: do they hate trans people more than they love beer? The answer for many, apparently, is yes.

That includes Tritt, who shared that he’d be removing all ​​products from Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company, from his tour hospitality rider. He also said that Jack Daniel’s drinkers should “take note” of a partnership between the whiskey company and some queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Bryan clapped back against Tritt’s views with some tweets of his own.

“I mean no disrespect towards anyone specifically, I don’t even mind @Travistritt. I just think insulting transgender people is completely wrong because we live in a country where we can all just be who we want to be,” he wrote. “It’s a great day to be alive I thought.”

That last line is a reference to Tritt’s 2000 hit “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” a song with sunshine-and-smiles optimism that doesn’t line up with Tritt’s hateful attitude toward trans folks.

Bryan may not be gay, but he’s pretty good at throwing shade, as he proved in a follow-up tweet: “And @Travistritt I love Jack Daniels (my dogs name) and I will drink enough for both of us I promise.”

Bryan’s support didn’t come without a caveat, however. In another tweet, he wrote, “And yo I don’t support transgender people attacking swimmers. I just have family transitioning and have blood to defend here. No one threaten me pls.”

Bryan is referencing the alleged assault of former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, who claims she was physically attacked by pro-trans protesters at San Francisco State University last week. Gaines was at the school to speak against the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. 

All support for trans people is welcome, of course, though some fans wished Bryan’s attitude didn’t hinge on having trans people in his family. 

“You should support marginalized, persecuted human beings of every walk of life because it’s the right thing to do, not just because they are family,” one user replied. “But that’s the only way sometimes bigoted people are motivated to step up, so good for you I guess.”

Still, beyond some backlash from Tritt’s conservative fanbase, the comments on his tweets were supportive and grateful to know the singer wasn’t a country stereotype.

“As long as this one sided stuff continues our country will continue to feel broken,” Bryan wrote in another tweet. “We only have one life ol sons. Think your own thoughts.”

Watch the music video for Bryan’s song “Dawns” featuring Maggie Rogers below.

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