The Village People’s lyricist and lead singer has hit out at the “false assumption” that the band’s biggest hit, “YMCA,” is a “gay anthem.”

Victor Willis contends that the song is not a "gay anthem," but David Hodo disagrees Village People’s Cop Threatens to “Crush” Construction Worker Over “Y.M.C.A.” Gay Anthem Dispute Jo Vito

Village People’s 1978 hit “ YMCA ” is the group’s most enduring song, and the hit single is frequently described as a “gay anthem” ( even the Library Of Congress thinks it is ). However, the band’s Victor Willis, who sings the song and wrote its lyrics, disagrees.

Victor Willis acknowledged that the song's association with Trump's campaign has greatly benefited its chart performance and sales.

"I'm glad I allowed the President-elect's continued use of Y.M.C.A.," Willis wrote. "And I thank him for choosing to use my song."

Village People singer Victor Willis threatened legal action if media outlets continued referring to 'Y.M.C.A.' as a 'gay anthem' in November 2024.

It might be fun to stay at the YMCA, but the song is not a “gay anthem.” So says the frontman of the Village People, who has taken to clarifying the matter some 46 years after the mega-hit was released.

The lead singer of the Village People is clearing up assumptions about the band’s biggest hit, “YMCA.” Victor Willis, who also co-wrote the song, says it is not a “gay anthem.” On Facebook, he wrote people assumed that because his writing partner and some members of the band were gay but he said he did not know the YMCA was a place for gay men to hang out when he wrote the song.