The 1975's Matt Healy breaks silence after controversial kiss with male bandmate at Malaysia gig
Matt Healy caused controversy during a recent gig with the 1975 in Malaysia
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Matty Healy, 34, has returned to social amid the ongoing controversy caused by his on-stage kiss with bandmate Ross MacDonald in Malaysia.
The band were performing at the Good Vibes Festival last week when Healy stopped to snog his pal.
The country has strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws with homosexuality considered a crime, carrying with it a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Healy, whose behaviour on-stage reportedly consisted of spitting on crowds and destroying the concert organisers' drone, said mid-performance: "I don't see the f*****g point, right.
"I do not see the point of inviting the 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.
"I'll take your money, you can ban me, but I've done this before and it doesn't feel good," he added before grabbing his bandmate.
The kiss and Healy's accompanying speech resulted in the 1975 being banned from Malaysia.
Matt Healy has spoken out for the first time since the 1975 were banned from Malaysia
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Healy's decision to make such a stance has caused quite the controversy with some critics accusing him of trying to implement western values on the far east while other have praised him for showing solidarity with the queer community.
Deciding to break his silence on the issue, Healy took to Instagram and thanked a columnist who praised Healy for "drawing global attention to Malaysia’s persecution of its queer citizens – more so than any other action by anyone else".
The journalist Peter Tatchell wrote the column for The Guardian with the title: "Matty Healy is not a ‘white saviour’ for showing solidarity with Malaysia’s LGBTQ+ people."
The columnist addressed the backlash and claimed: "The Kuala Lumpur regime will be delighted that the focus is on the 1975, rather than the human rights abuses the band condemned."
After Tatchell promoted the column on his Instagram page, Healy took to the comments section.
Healy replied: "Thank you Peter you have always been a hero of mine and a great friend to many people I love dearly.
"You mean a lot to so many people," the 1975 frontman added in response.
Fans quickly reacted to Healy's remark, with one fan commenting in response: "Thank you Matty for bringing awareness to the situation in Malaysia I had no idea and I’m sure many others didn’t too!
The 1975 pose at the BRIT Awards
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"I will make sure to not spend any of my tourism $$$ in such a place. Much love."
While a second added: "First of all, @petertatchell1, thank you… and secondly, @trumanblack I love you. WE LOVE YOU! Soooo much.
"What you did was amazing and it’s being drowned out by hate right now, and that’s ok! Gotta start somewhere!!!"
And a third echoed: "Thank you to you and the band for listening to your inner sense of justice and using, risking your platform to speak up for those that can't, Matty!" (sic)
However, Healy's actions have been slammed by some LGBT groups in Malaysia after it caused "greater damage".
Dhia Rezki, an activist with Kuala Lumpur-based support group JEJAKA, said of Healy [via BBC News]: "Unfortunately, local activists are now having to deal with the fall-out and the potential policies and restrictions that might come from it."
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