Rob Halford has shared his support for Josh Kiszka after the Greta Van Fleet frontman came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community on Tuesday, June 20.
In a comment on Kiszka’s Instagram post — in which he shared that he’s “been in a loving, same-sex relationship with my partner for the past 8 years” — the Judas Priest icon wrote “I love you Josh” alongside various emojis.
Halford, perhaps the most famous openly gay metal musician, came out in 1998. When Judas Priest was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Halford introduced himself as the “the gay guy in the band” during his acceptance speech.
“We call ourselves the heavy metal community, which is all-inclusive,” Halford said. “It doesn’t matter what your sexual identity is, what you look like, the color of your skin, the faith that you believe in or don’t believe in, everybody’s welcome.”
Kiszka opened up about his sexuality while hoping to raise awareness for organizations supporting LGBTQ+ rights where he lives in Tennessee amid the state’s efforts to pass laws that “threaten the freedom of love.”
“The LGBTQ+ community is a cultural pillar, constantly championing positivity and acceptance through art, music, literature, film, and most importantly, legislation,” he wrote. “The greatest mortal gift of all is our capacity to love and as we travel through time, may our greater understanding of the matter around and within us teach us to love ever deeper.”
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