Carrie Underwood Defends Her Stance on Gay Marriage, Says She’s ‘Pro Loving People’
"I really haven't looked at anything," Carrie Underwood admits to 'BBC Breakfast' of the backlash which resulted from her coming out in support of gay marriage. "I learned a long time ago that you cannot live your life for other people. You have to run your own race and do what you do and love what you do."
She adds with a laugh, "Hopefully people love it, but if not, I wont know it because I wont read it."
Earlier this month, the 'Blown Away' singer tole British publication the Independent, “As a married person myself, I don’t know what it’s like to be told I can’t marry somebody I love, and want to marry. I can’t imagine how that must feel. I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love.”
“Above all, God wanted us to love others,” she reiterates. “It’s not about setting rules, or [saying] ‘everyone has to be like me’. No. We’re all different. That’s what makes us special. We have to love each other and get on with each other.”
Underwood has become a spokesperson for various commercial brands since winning 'American Idol' in 2005, but the singer understands the difference in becoming a public voice when religion and politics are involved.
"It's scary," the devout Christian admits of her superstar status. "It's scary to have a platform and have people listening to you. At some point, you are going to say something that a lot of people consider to be not so right to them."
Underwood reveals that she makes a very conscious effort to steer clear of sharing her political views, knowing that she's a role model. "I've always managed to stay out of that pretty well," says the Oklahoma native."I stay as far away from politics as possible because I just love to sing more than anything."
"I would never want anyone's views skewed because of anything I said," she continues. "I don't want people to think like me. People have to figure everything out for themselves. That's important to me."
Despite the criticism, the 'Good Girl' singer holds firm to her beliefs. "I'm pro non-judgment. I'm pro loving people," she confirms, backing up her pro-gay marriage stance. "It's kinda what I'm all about."