Spitfire Audio CEO apologises after cofounder’s comments on transgender issue

British sample library programmer Spitfire Sound has appear that its co-founder, Christian Henson, will be “taking a break” from the brand, following comments he fabricated online which have been perceived equally transphobic.

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In a since-deleted tweet posted on 5 September, Henson outwardly expressed his support of
Harry Potter
author JK Rowling and
Father Ted
co-creator Graham ‘Glinner’ Linehan – both of whom accept received backfire regarding their views on transgender people.

“Equally a parent I can no longer keep my mouth close about this. I’m in total back up of glinner & @jk_rowling,” he wrote, attaching a link to a YouTube video entitled ‘Stewart Lee should hand in his comedy bill of fare.’

“Delight look into this,” Henson added. “If you lot have young children it’southward in the post if yous accept autistic children information technology’s probably already on your chump.”

Henson has also deleted his Twitter business relationship post-obit criticism from Spitfire Audio followers and artists such every bit Ólafur Arnalds and Tori Letzler.

While remaining online for less than twenty-4 hours before being deleted by Henson, the tweet was quick to be noticed past hundreds of Spitfire Audio users, who claimed they volition boycott the visitor as a event of the comments.

Spitfire Audio CEO Volition Evans has released a statement to address the incident on the make’s official Twitter. The bulletin states that Henson’s views should not be seen equally a reflection of the visitor and explain that the Henson has at present taken a “break” from working with the brand.

A message from Spitfire Sound’s CEO. picture.twitter.com/O8yWjiKJna

— Spitfire Audio (@SpitfireAudio) September vi, 2022

Producer and composer Ólafur Arnalds reached out to Henson to reconsider his stance, saying “Yous are someone who prides himself [on] a community that welcomes [people] regardless of their background. I realise there are nuances to the issue but blanket statements like that hurt those in the communities you have helped created and those who almost need our support.”

Honey Christian. Y’all are someone who prides himself of a community that welcomes ppl regardless of their groundwork. I realise there are nuances to the issue but blanket statements like that hurt those in the communities yous have helped created and those who about need our support.

— Ólafur Arnalds (@OlafurArnalds) September 6, 2022

Indie pop creative person Left At London responded to Henson in a thread, saying that she “will no longer be using Spitfire products in future projects I make until [Henson] publicly denounce[southward] this mindless systemic violence.” She also told Henson that “Lack of back up of trans people, painting united states every bit sexual deviants doesn’t make you a well-meaning father, even read in the best of faiths. It makes yous a bigot.”

Hello Christian. I am a transgender artist who has used Spitfire Labs in my music. I realized I was trans around 2014, when all the representation effectually trans people was overwhelmingly negative, & my parents (at the fourth dimension) actively kept me from transitioning. It traumatized me.

— nat “cops intermission laws to terrorize/intimidate” puff (@LeftAtLondon) September vi, 2022

However, others have also voiced support for Henson, filmmaker Hayden Hewitt says Henson has been “railroaded” by Spitfire Audio and Twitter users. In response to Spitfire’s argument, he added: “How dare someone be honest, truthful and open when what yous really have to practise is take a knee blindly to an ideology and never question anything.”

Some people will view Christian Henson’s enforced “time off” from the company he helped create and the removal of his Twitter account every bit a expert thing because he went against the cult of gender ideology.

I remember he’s been railroaded. I am correct.

— Hayden Hewitt (@HaydenHewitt) September half-dozen, 2022

Another user criticised Spitfire’s amends, stating that the brand’south goal of “building an inclusive surround” is “specifically exclud[ing] people.”

MusicTech
reached out to Spitfire Sound on its position and future alignment with Henson. We received the following statement, signed by Will Evans:

“Spitfire Sound strives to promote inclusivity amid our collaborators, staff and the wider customs. We hope this is visible through our editorial content and the astonishing people who make libraries with usa. Christian’s Tweet has brought this into question.

“Spitfire Sound makes instruments for anybody – without exception – and aslope this nosotros have worked to cultivate a community where everyone belongs, and no one is excluded.

“We feel it is important to reiterate that nosotros stand up resolutely and absolutely behind advocating for inclusivity and diversity in music – this extends to the LGBTQ+ customs, and in the world in general.”

Stay tuned for further developments.