A Christian author attacked Dolly Parton for her pro-LGBTQ+ stance. It didn’t end well for the author.

Dolly Parton arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “Joyful Noise” on January 19, 2012 in Hollywood, California Photo: Shutterstock

Right-wing author Ericka Andersen has apologized for her criticism of Dolly Parton in an essay for the conservative online medium. The Federalist.

The article, titled “There’s Nothing Loving About Dolly Parton’s False Gospel,” has left Parton fans in an uproar since it was published on June 6. In it, Andersen attacked the “Jolene” singer for her longtime support of the LGBTQ+ community and, in particular, for citing her Christianity as the source of that community.

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“Parton’s version of love, which includes condoning immoral sexual behavior (“be who you are,” she has said), is not consistent with God’s vision for humanity,” Andersen writes. “Like so many secularized spiritual leaders, Parton equates love with consent, but the two are not mutual. Love does not mean that we must accept sinfulness as good in order not to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

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Just last November, Parton spoke about how her faith has influenced her support of the LGBTQ+ community and how aware she is of the impact anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has on her.

“I try not to get involved in politics. I try to consider the human aspect. In my immediate family and in my circle of co-workers, there is a little bit of everyone. I have transgender people. I have gay people. I have lesbians. I have drinkers. I have drug addicts – all in my own family. I know and love them all and I don’t judge,” she said. The Hollywood Reporter. “I know them all and I love them all and I don’t judge. And I just see them get heartbroken about things and I know how genuine they are. I know how important it is to them. That’s just the way they are. It’s not their fault, any more than I can help being Dolly Parton, you know, the way people know me. If there’s anything to judge, that’s God’s business. But we’re all God’s children and how we are is who we are.”

Given Parton’s large and loyal fan base, Andersen was clearly playing with fire when she decided to challenge the “9-to-5” singer. And Parton’s fans responded in kind.

“They came for Dolly,” wrote one fan on X. “We ride at dawn.”

“No. You are not going after Dolly Parton. You definitely aren’t,” wrote another X-user.

“I’m not 100% sure Dolly Parton isn’t Jesus Christ. Maybe she is the second coming of Christ and honestly, I WILL follow her to heaven,” wrote another. “The Federalists can keep their drunken mouths shut. Dolly is a LEGEND.”