Self-described “non-binary femme” Canadian country singer Robert Adam went to Nashville, Tennessee, to record his latest album but cites the triumphant return of President Donald Trump to the White House as the reason he won’t be heading back across the border anytime soon.
The Calgary-based performer says he contemplated the decision not to go back for several months, claiming past negative experiences as a “queer person” visiting the United States were weighed against the importance of that market for emerging musicians.
Robert Adam, one of 3 finalists, performs during the Finale of the 2024 Top of the Country Competition at Cook County Saloon as part of the 2024 Canadian Country Music Association’s Country Music week in Edmonton. (Ron Palmer/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Adam told the Canadian Press in a phone interview he made the right decision not to go stateside because it would be just too stressful.
(I’m) pretty non-binary presenting, pretty femme … it’s hard not to see that I kind of stick out.
I don’t want to spend my life stressed out over whether I feel like I have to … tone down my image, or what I have to say, just to exist and play a show.
In January the Trump administration declared the United States will only recognize two sexes, male and female, and government documents must reflect the one assigned at birth, as Breitbart News reported.
The Trump declaration followed years of the Biden administration not only promoting woke gender ideology and transgender issues on society but children specifically, even backing sex change procedures and drugs for minors and criticizing those who stood against the mutilation.
Trump gets a standing ovation as he declares: "As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female." pic.twitter.com/9w2LBUyg7n
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 20, 2025
Adam told the outlet the possibility of personal questions about gender or being detained at the U.S. border far outweighs the upside.
After several Canadian dates, Adam now instead plans to head to the United Kingdom and Japan, where he feels his brand of queer country music will be more warmly received.
“It’s important to me that we go to spaces where I can do those things freely and … inspire others to do the same,” he added.
