Dolly Parton, country music icon and beloved LGBTQ+ ally, dies at 80

Country legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family confirmed today. For decades, she was one of the LGBTQ+ community's most consistent and outspoken allies.

Country music legend Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced in a video message shared to Instagram today. No cause of death was given.

Seaver said in the video that "this video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality". According to a statement from her team, Parton's immediate family will have "a small, private service". In lieu of flowers, Parton's family has asked for donations to be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

For millions of LGBTQ+ fans, Dolly wasn't just a country music icon - she was one of the community's most consistent and outspoken allies. She famously said, "If you're gay, you're gay. If you're straight, you're straight. And you should be allowed to be how you are and who you are".

In 2011, after a woman was asked to turn her pro-marriage equality t-shirt inside out at Dollywood, Dolly issued a personal statement of apology, saying "I am truly sorry for the hurt or embarrassment regarding the gay and lesbian t-shirt incident at Dollywood's Splash Country recently. Everyone knows of my personal support of the gay and lesbian community. Dollywood is a family park and all families are welcome".

She spoke out in 2016 against North Carolina's anti-trans bathroom bill, saying "I just know if I have to pee, I'm going to pee. I don't care where it's going to be". When Tennessee passed anti-trans legislation in 2023, she told the Hollywood Reporter, "I know and love them all, and I do not judge. And I just see how broken-hearted they get over certain things and I know how real they are. I know how important this is to them".

Parton was preceded in death by her husband Carl Dean, whose passing at age 82 was announced in March 2025. The singer-songwriter-actress's glittering country music stardom was matched by her pop fame and parallel careers in film and TV.

Rest in peace, Dolly. Thank you for always having our backs.