Steps cancelled a lucrative gig in Dubai over a clause in their contract that banned them from mentioning sexuality.
Ian ‘H’ Watkins, who is gay, said the iconic pop band were offered the “pot of gold gig” in the country, which has strict laws against homosexuality.
The 47-year-old confessed he felt bad for “not speaking out sooner”, and said his bandmates Lee Latchford-Evans, Claire Richards, Lisa Scott-Lee, and Faye Tozer unanimously turned down the big money show because of the country’s “horrendous human rights issues”.
“This week we were offered a gig, a show, and it was in a country where there's lots of oppression, where the LGBTQ+ community is treated so horrendously,” he said during an interview at Chippenham Pride.
“And in the contract it said 'no mention of sexuality' and that really jarred with me. I'm at a point in my life now where my morals and what I strive for is more important than that pot of gold gig in Dubai," he said.
Ian then took to Instagram to share a BBC News article about Steps cancelling their Dubai gig, and he told his 117,000 followers he “will not be silenced” and was proud of himself for standing up “for those who do not have a voice”.
He told his fans about a gig the pop band did in Dubai years ago, and he risked arrest - and even jail - for dancing with a man onstage.
“It was a risk. As I came off stage I didn’t know if I would be taken away for questioning, even jailed. I wasn’t. It felt like a small win,” Ian wrote.
He said the band had been given the offer to play a show in Dubai, and confirmed that the contract stated they were not allowed to mention sexuality.
Ian told his fans he and the band had always supported the LGBTQ+ community, and were accepting of people no matter their sexuality or gender preference.
“We’ve always said that Steps has an open door policy. A place where the LGBTQ+ community can live their best lives. Regardless of sexuality, gender, colour, age or ability… we are your safe space,” he wrote in the emotional post.
“The world has changed a lot, even in the past few years. But that makes countries that haven’t changed their policies on LGBTQ+ people even more archaic,” Ian explained.
The Welsh singer shared it was “for those reasons” he and the band will never play in a country “with horrendous anti LGBTQ+ laws”.
He called on his followers to “call out homophobia, transphobia, every phobia and bigotry”, and hoped they were “proud” of his decision.
