Maren Morris stands by her decision to publicly clap back at Brittany Aldean for transphobic comments that the 33-year-old made on Instagram. “I hate feeling like I need to be the hall monitor of treating people like human beings in country music,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s exhausting. But there’s a very insidious culture of people feeling very comfortable being transphobic and homophobic and racist, and that they can wrap it up in a joke and no one will ever call them out for it. It just becomes normal for people to behave like that.”
The drama started when Brittany posted a video of herself doing her makeup and wrote a controversial caption. “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase,” she wrote. “I love this girly life.” Brittany’s husband, Jason Aldean, seemed to support her “joke,” writing back, “Lmao!! I’m glad they didn’t too cause you and I wouldn’t have worked out.”
Maren got involved after Cassadee Pope slammed Brittany for the comment on Twitter. Maren supported Cassadee by adding, “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.” Of the nickname, Maren told the LA Times, “It’s kind of true because the whole conspiracy theory peddling of Jan.6 , they totally partook in that. Look, I’m not a victim in this and neither is she. But I don’t have feelings of kindness when it comes to humans being made fun of for questioning their identity, espeically kids.”
It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) August 26, 2022
Things escalated between Maren and Brittany when Brittany did an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson about the situation. During the interview, Maren was referred to as a “lunatic country music person.” She decided to wear that as a badge of honor, selling t-shirts with the phrase and giving the proceeds to GLAAD’s Transgender Media Program and the Trans Lifeline.
Unfortunately, Maren’s drama with the Aldeans has put a damper on something that should be exciting for her: A nomination at the CMA Awards for Album of the Year. Despite being recognized at the upcoming Nov. 9 show, Maren said she still isn’t sure she’ll even attend. “I haven’t decided if I’m gonna go,” Maren admitted. “I’m very honored that my record is nominated. But I don’t know if I feel at home there right now. So many people I love will be in that room, and maybe I’ll make a game-time decision and go. But aso f right now, I don’t feel comfortable going.” Maren admitted that she often feels uncomfortable at award shows anyway because she’s “awkward,” and said she feels “peaceful at the notion of not going.”