Out in the World: LGBTQ news from Europe and Asia
MALAYSIA Rock band The 1975 is being sued by organizers of a music festival kissed a man on stage as a protest against the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws last July.
The festival is seeking $2.4 million in damages alleging breach of contract after the festival was shut down by authorities.
The English rock band was headlining the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on July 21, 2023, when Healy delivered a performance that festival organizers Future Vibes Asia allege included drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes on stage, appearing to “spit excessively including towards the audience” and giving a “profanity-laden speech,” all of which they say was in violation of their performance contract. “Variety”reported at the time that Healy told the crowd “I don’t see the fucking point … of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with … I’m sorry if that offends you, and you’re religious … but your government are a bunch of fucking r——.
I don’t care anymore. If you push, I’m gonna push back. I’m not in the fucking mood.” At that point, Healy kissed bassist Ross MacDonald on stage, resulting the band getting booted from the stage by government censors and banned from performing in Malaysia.
