Ana Navarro calls on Gloria Gaynor to reject Trump's Kennedy Center honor
Donald Trump's takeover of Washington, D.C., isn't just about wielding power over the Metropolitan Police Department. He's also set his sights on taking control of the Kennedy Center Honors.The annual celebration of people who have significantly contributed to American culture is typically a nonpartisan affair. But earlier this year, Trump announced he was taking over the Kennedy Center board of trustees and making himself chairmanciting the center hosting what he referred to as "Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth." And now, he has announced his first list of Kennedy Center Honors recipients, saying that he chose "98 percent" of them and rejected several "woke" options.Trump's honorees include country singer George Strait, Phantom of the Opera star Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester Stallone, the band KISS, and singer Gloria Gaynor.For many, that last name doesn't fit with the others: Gaynor is a Black woman, and her best-known song, "I Will Survive," is considered a gay anthem. But The View cohost Ana Navarro went as far as calling out Gaynor directly via Instagram.See on InstagramIn her post, Navarro recalled meeting Gaynor at a concert in Miami, where the singer gifted her a keychain that played "I Will Survive" when you pressed a button. "Lets just say, during first Trump term, I pressed it til it ran out of batteries," Navarro wrote.She then turned to Gaynor being named among the recipients of this year's Kennedy Center Honors, pointing out that Trump plans to host the ceremony. "Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldnt accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem," she wrote. "Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Dont do it, Gloria!"While "I Will Survive" is one of the all-time definitive gay anthems, Gaynor has historically obfuscated when asked about her allyship. In a 2007 interview with Radio 4 in the U.K., Gaynor was asked about her feelings on being a gay icon and responded with, "I feel good about it because I feel it is a platform for my purpose, which is to bring the love of Christ to all of my fans."When asked if she has a "religious opposition to homosexuality," Gaynor said, "I want to lead them to Christ and what he has for them. I want to lead them to him, I want to lead them to truth." When pressed further, she added, "I want to lead them to Christ, simply, and whatever he has for them."In 2019, Gaynor was asked about those comments in an NPR interview and once again spoke about being guided by her faith. "I'm not against anybody. I just am a full believer that God knows and wants only what's best for each and every one of us and is the only one that can bring it to pass if we rely on him. That is the beginning and end of my thoughts about it," she said.She then emphasized that she has plenty of gay people in her life, including family members and employees, and they all "know that I will go to my grave loving them." However, she also said she agrees "with the word of God from Genesis to Revelations [sic].""So none of what I feel about homosexuality or my faith in God and my absolute belief in the Bible, which I believe to be the word of God, has anything to do with my - has - none of it taints my ability to love them. And I think that is what is important," she said.Gaynor has yet to publicly comment.