Village People’s Victor Willis Defends Trump’s Use of "Y.M.C.A.," Denies Song is a "Gay Anthem"
A controversy surrounding the use of the iconic Village People song "Y.M.C.A." at Donald Trump rallies has taken a new turn with songwriter and founding member Victor Willis addressing the topic directly.
Willis firmly denied any "gay connotation" associated with the anthem, despite its widespread adoption by the LGBTQ community.
"This assumption," Willis wrote in a recent Facebook post, "is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout and since one of the writers was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people. To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not."
His statement comes after years of Trump utilizing "Y.M.C.A." as his signature campaign anthem, even incorporating a choreographed dance routine into his rallies. While Willis initially requested Trump’s campaign to cease using the song, the musician ultimately relented, citing both the legal implications of revoking the license and the perceived joy Trump and his supporters derived from it.
"The Trump campaign knew they had obtained a political use license from BMI and absent that license being terminated, they had every right to continue using ‘Y.M.C.A.’," Willis explained. "And they did. Besides, Trump seems to genuinely like ‘Y.M.C.A.’ and he’s having a lot of fun with it, and I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of my song in the face of so many artists withdrawing his use of their material. So I told my wife to inform BMI to not withdraw the Trump campaign political use license."
Willis also acknowledged a financial incentive, stating that he stands to earn "several million dollars" due to Trump’s continued use of the song.
Addressing the debate surrounding "Y.M.C.A." as a "gay anthem," Willis clarified the inspiration behind his lyrics: “I wrote ‘Y.M.C.A.’ about the things I knew about the Y in the urban areas of San Francisco such as swimming, basketball, track, and cheap food and cheap rooms. And when I say, ‘hang out with all the boys’ that is simply 1970s black slang for black guys hanging-out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that.”
However, Willis has taken a firm stance, stating that as of 2025, he will pursue legal action against any news organizations continuing to label "Y.M.C.A." as a "gay anthem."
"Therefore, since I wrote the lyrics and ought to know what the lyrics I wrote is really about, come January 2025, my wife will start suing each and every news organization that falsely refers to ‘Y.M.C.A.’, either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to illicit activity for which it does not," he said.
Despite Willis’ stance, "Y.M.C.A." remains a popular choice across various social gatherings, from weddings and bar mitzvahs to sporting events and commercials. Even though the debate continues, its wide-ranging appeal seems unquestionable.
"The true anthem is ‘Y.M.C.A.’s appeal to people of all strips including President Elect Trump. But the song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is. And this must stop because it is damaging to the song.”
