The 1975’s performance at Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia was cut short after their frontman, Matty Healy, criticized the country’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. Healy addressed the crowd, expressing his anger towards the government’s discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. He stated that he didn’t want to let down the young, progressive, and cool fans in the audience and that he had made a similar decision before in another country.
To further challenge the anti-LGBTQ+ laws, Healy kissed bandmate Ross MacDonald for an extended period of time. The set ended half an hour early, with Healy announcing to the crowd that they had been banned from Kuala Lumpur.
A source close to the band stated that Healy and The 1975 have a history of advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, and they wanted to stand up for their fans and the community. In a previous incident in 2019, Healy broke an anti-LGBTQ+ law in the United Arab Emirates by kissing a male concertgoer during a show in Dubai.
While there hasn’t been an official statement confirming The 1975’s ban from Malaysia, Billboard has reached out to representatives from the festival for more information.
According to Outright International, same-sex relationships are illegal in Malaysia, and gender non-conformity is criminalized in states that impose Islamic Sharia law. LGBTIQ Malaysians face arbitrary arrests, assault, extortion, and privacy violations by police and public officials due to these laws.
Videos of Healy’s speech, the kiss, and the end of the set have circulated on social media platforms.
– End of article –
