Chappell Roan’s new song “The Giver” is all the internet can think about. When Roan debuted the song on Saturday Night Live this weekend, it instantly went viral thanks to Roan’s incredible vocals, her choice to show us her country side, and — of course — the song’s instantly iconic lyrics.
“The Giver” is about, well, giving. On the chorus, Roan tells us to “take it like a taker, ’cause, baby, I’m a giver,” and during the bridge, she admonishes all the “country boy quitters” who can’t get their partners off: “Only a woman knows how to treat a woman right!”
Naturally, the gays are obsessed. Only an icon would use a platform as big as SNL to declare that she’s a top through a honky-tonk bop. It’s earned a new nickname: Strappell Roan. (Maybe she and Strapbrina Carpenter should collab.)
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But some viewers aren’t happy with the song. Naturally, the “country boys” Roan is calling out for not satisfying their partners were triggered, but even within the queer community, several folks complained about the song’s message.
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“It’s almost like most women don’t hate trans people,” reads one viral response to a TERF’s angry posting.
“Even as a sapphic I hate this so much,” wrote one commenter on Instagram. “It’s why anti-LGBTQ folks think that we’re trying to make them like us. We’re not. They’re allowed to be straight, and many straight relationships are satisfying and fulfilling.”
“The TERF lyrics are killing me,” wrote another. “She is using radfem talking points that have been spat out over and over by baby white cis lesbians time and time again. Chappel [sic] is not in my community.”
What “radfem talking points” is that commenter referring to? They could see Roan saying that women are better in bed than men as a dig at trans women — but that would only be true if you don’t see trans women as women.
Trans woman are woman so what the fuck is even going on with those comments There is no need to make such comments
— Israt Diary (@Isratquraishi2) November 4, 2024
When screenshots of those comments made their way to X (formerly Twitter), folks were quick to shut down any TERF allegations. Roan is about as far from a TERF as you can get: She’s spoken up time and time again for trans rights, and singing about lesbian sex doesn’t make you transphobic. (Obviously.)
THEYRE ALLOWED TO BE STRAIGHT HAS ME IN TEARS ITS GIVING “LET MEN BE MASCULINE” LMAO
— ZAYNA🇵🇸 FREE PALESTINE (@HorrorHijabi) November 4, 2024
Check out Roan’s full performance of “The Giver” on SNL below.
Chappell Roan’s full hq performance of ‘The Giver’, her new cuntry single, live on SNL! 🤍 pic.twitter.com/NdKLmqXRpw
— best of chappell roan (@bestofchappell) November 3, 2024
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