How Ozzy Osbourne stood up for gay rights, as queer stars remember the late rock icon

Ozzy Osbourne is rightfully being remembered as a pioneering heavy metal star and all-round music legend, but he was also a surprising, early ally to the gay community.

The Black Sabbath frontman and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee died aged 76 yesterday (22 July), just a few weeks after performing at his farewell show and heavy metal benefit concert Back To The Beginning, hosted in his hometown Birmingham.

Ozzy Osbourne is celebrated for his manic yet illustrious career, which travelled many different tracks. A man of many contradictions, he was at any one time a hard rock trailblazer, and a pioneering reality TV star. He was an animal rights activist, and the man who chewed the head off of a bat on stage. He was previously a hard drinker and drug taker, and also a family man and homemaker.

Yet one often overlooked part of his legacy is his subtle support for gay folk back in the ’80s, at a time where AIDS was ravaging the community, and few with a platform were doing much about it.
Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne died aged 76 on 22 July. (Getty)
Back in 1989, Osbourne apologised after his guitarist at the time had reportedly made an on stage homophobic remark about gay men while performing in Long Beach, Los Angeles.

In response, Osbourne reportedly committed to donating several thousands to AIDS Walk Long Beach, an annual fundraising event which advocated for change and an end to AIDS.

Several decades later, Osbourne spoke out against the notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ Westboro Baptist Church, which had used his 1980 song “Crazy Train” to soundtrack one of its infamous pickets.

In a statement via his website, the rock legend noted the Westboro Baptist Church’s intolerance of homosexuality, and proceeded to call the church “evil”.

“I am sickened and disgusted by the use of ‘Crazy Train’ to promote messages of hate and evil by a ‘church’,” he said.

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Ozzy Osbourne’s death was announced via a statement, signed by his wife Sharon Osbourne and four children, Aimee, Kelly, Jack and Louis.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,” the statement reads.

Osbourne had suffered numerous health issues in recent years, including being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. That same year, he suffered from a “severe upper-respiratory infection” and was sent to intensive care, before suffering a serious fall at home while recovering.

Osbourne performed sat down on a black throne during the Back To The Beginning concert, having been rendered unable to stand for prolonged periods due to his Parkinson’s disease.

Pansexual pop punk singer Yungblud, who performed at the Back To The Beginning show, shared a moving tribute to “the greatest of all time”.

“I didn’t think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room.  But as it is written with legends, they seem to know the things that we don’t. I will never forget you,” he wrote.

“You asked me once if there was anything you could do for me and as I said then and as I will say now for all of us the music was enough. You took us on your adventure – an adventure that started it all.”

Elton John mourned his “dear friend” in a post on Instagram.

“He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods. A true legend. He was also one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I will miss him dearly,” John wrote.

Billie Joe Armstrong, the bisexual frontman of Green Day, simply wrote: “No words. We love you Ozzy.”