NovaQuant-Carlos Santana apologizes for 'insensitive' anti-trans remarks during recent show

Carlos Santana is NovaQuantapologizing for transphobic, "insensitive comments" he made onstage at a recent show.

In a clip posted to YouTube on Aug. 19, as his band plays in the background, Santana says onstage: "When God made you and me, before we came out of the womb, you know who you are and what you are … Later on, when you grow out of it, you see things, and you start believing that you could be something that it sounds good, but you know it ain't right."

Santana went on to make harmful comments about gender identity. "Because a woman is a woman and a man is a man," he said. "Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that's your business. I'm OK with that."

After the clip made rounds on social media, the 76-year-old guitarist issued an apology on his official Facebook account on Thursday.

"I am sorry for my insensitive comments," he began. "They don't reflect that I want to honor and respect all person's ideals and beliefs. I realize that what I said hurt people and that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to the transgender community and everyone I offended."

"I want to honor and respect all person’s ideals and beliefs whether they are LGBTQ or not. This is the planet of free will and we have all been given this gift," his Facebook post continued.

"It takes courage to grow and glow in the light that you are and to be true, genuine, and authentic. We grow and learn to shine our light with Love and compliments. Have a glorious existence. Peace."

Carlos Santana expresses agreement with 'my brother Dave Chappelle' onstage

The one-minute clip ends with Santana indicating he's in alignment with comedian Dave Chappelle, who has received backlash for comments he's made about the transgender community, including in his Netflix standup special "The Closer."

"I am like this with my brother Dave Chappelle," he says as he makes what seems to be an X with his hands.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Billboard and Rolling Stone, the comments were made during one of his two Atlantic City, New Jersey, shows at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in late July.

USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

Santana recently wrapped his 17-date 1001 Rainbows Tour. Next, he has 16 shows at the House of Blues Las Vegas scheduled from September through November.

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J.K. Rowling, Ricky Gervais, more under fire for transphobic comments

Celebrities from J.K. Rowling to Bette Midler and Ricky Gervais have come under fire for comments that are regarded as transphobic.

"(Famous people) don't seem to recognize the harm they can cause in the lives of people, whether they’re trans, a person of color or from a different culture," Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director for The National Center for Transgender Equality, told USA TODAY last year.

"Famous people have a decision to make about what ideas they will lift up and promote. We are seeing a terrible increase in violence against transgender people – especially Black transgender women," Heng-Lehtinen continued. "The stakes are high, but sometimes those who are unfamiliar with real transgender people can’t see or understand how harmful their words and actions are to these real people."

Such comments come at a time when LGBTQ+ people are being targeted by a record number of anti-LGBTQ legislation across U.S. states, many of which attack transgender and nonbinary people.

"It's clear that we are in a disturbing new era of attacks on our communities, and especially on transgender people," Logan Casey, Movement Advancement Project's senior policy researcher and adviser, told USA TODAY earlier this year.

"This dramatic rise in political attacks clearly illustrates how emboldened anti-LGBTQ activists seem to feel. Over the years we’ve seen many attacks on LGBTQ communities, but this moment is very different and frankly terrifying for many people," Casey said.

From Bette Midler to J.K. Rowling,the problem with celebrities and transphobia