The 1975 Festival Set Cut Short in Malaysia as Matty Healy Criticizes Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
The 1975's festival set in Malaysia was cut short after lead singer Matty Healy criticized the country's anti-LGBTQ+ laws during a speech on stage. Healy expressed his frustration with the government's stance on gay rights and called them "a bunch of fucking retards." The band's bassist, Ross MacDonald, then kissed Healy on stage. After their seventh song, Healy announced that they had been banned from Kuala Lumpur and the band left the stage. The festival organizers cited "non-compliance with local performance guidelines" as the reason for the shortened set. This is not the first time Healy has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ+ laws, as he previously kissed a male fan during a show in Dubai, where homosexuality is illegal.