Coachella Organizer Under Scrutiny for Contributing to Homophobic Organizations

Coachella tickets have hit the market, and the madness that is music festival season has officially commenced. All the rich kids of Instagram are planning out their glamping trip to see Beyonce, Radiohead, and Kendrick Lamar.

If you can't afford the $500 ticket this year, no worries. It might clear your conscience and cure your FOMO to know that money will end up in the hands of anti-LGBT hate groups. Phillip Anschutz, owner of AEG--the entertainment group responsible for organizing Coachella--is a financial supporter of numerous groups with homophobic agendas.

According to The Washington Post, Anschutz donates to Alliance Defending Freedom, Family Research Council, and National Christian Foundation. In addition, his foundation contributes to the efforts of climate change deniers like the Koch brothers.

"Phil Anschutz's extensive influence in Colorado politics has been known for years, but the degree of his support for anti-LGBTQ groups that fund extremist hate groups like Gordon Kligenschmitt's 'Pray in Jesus Name' is shocking," said ProgressNow Colorado executive director Ian Silverii in a press release. "At a time in American history when discrimination and violence against LGBTQ citizens is on the rise, support for pro-discrimination groups puts Anschutz on the wrong side of Colorado, and on the wrong side of history."

So instead of dropping hundreds of dollars on a Coachella ticket this year, do your own thing. Stand in a field with your headphones on and blast Beyonce at the highest volume while scrolling through your Instagram feed.