Carlos Santana has apologized for the anti-trans comments he made at a recent show.
“I am sorry for my insensitive comments. They don’t reflect that I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs,” Santana wrote in a statement posted Friday to his Facebook page. “I realize that what I said hurt people and that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to the transgender community and everyone I offended.”
The “Maria Maria” musician went on a tangent at an Atlantic City, New Jersey, concert, video clips of which went viral this week.
“Here is my personal goal that I strive to achieve every day. I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs whether they are LGBTQ or not. This is the planet of free will and we have all been given this gift,” he continued. I will now pursue this goal to be happy and have fun, and for everyone to believe what they want and follow in your hearts without fear. It takes courage to grow and glow in the light that you are and to be true, genuine, and authentic. We grow and learn to shine our light with love and compliments. Have a glorious existence. Peace.”
The comments the guitarist previously made came from a religious perspective.
“When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are,” the 76-year-old “Black Magic Woman” singer and guitarist said in a resurfaced video from the July show.
“Later on, when you grow out of it, you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that sounds good, but you know it ain’t right. Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man. That’s it,” he continued.