Alice Cooper weighs in on transgender issue and woke culture, stirring controversy

AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo

In a recent Stereogum interview, iconic rocker Alice Cooper, known for his subversive gender-bending theatrics, raised eyebrows with his take on modern gender discussions. While he's shown progressive stances in the past, Cooper's recent comments seemed a tad more conservative.

Cooper said:

"I’m understanding that there are cases of transgender, but I’m afraid that it’s also a fad, and I’m afraid there’s a lot of people claiming to be this just because they want to be that."

"I find it wrong when you’ve got a six-year-old kid who has no idea. He just wants to play, and you’re confusing him telling him, 'Yeah, you’re a boy, but you could be a girl if you want to be.'"

Cooper expressed his fears about the rise in transgender self-identification, suggesting it could be a passing trend. He voiced concerns over children being pressured about their gender identity too early, remarking, "You're still trying to find your identity, and yet here's this going on, saying, 'Yeah, but you can be anything you want. You can be a cat if you want to be.'"

He further simplifies gender, stating one's sex organs determine their gender, while seemingly glossing over the complexities of gender identity versus gender expression.

Although he may not be a gender studies expert, Cooper's comments echoed some controversial talking points. He vented about the "whole woke thing" and appeared skeptical about inclusive language shifts like using "birthing person" over "mother."

However, the most contentious moment came when he brought up the "bathroom predator" argument, suggesting that allowing transgender individuals to use their preferred restroom would lead to assaults.

“Well, I can see somebody really taking advantage of this, though,” he said. “A guy can walk into a woman’s bathroom at any time and just say, ‘I just feel like I’m a woman today’ and have the time of his life in there, and he’s not in the least bit… He’s just taking advantage of that situation. Well, that’s going to happen. Somebody’s going to get raped, and the guy’s going to say, ‘Well, I felt like a girl that day, and then I felt like a guy.’ Where do you draw this line?”