The last thing you want to do when you’re not feeling well is fight internet trolls. But, there Paramore singer Hayley Williams was this weekend, hitting back at sexist haters who decided to criticize her for postponing four shows due to what she recently revealed was a lung infection.
“internet bros have been pressed by my proximity to rock music and all its subgenres since 2005,” she wrote in an Instagram Story according to People. “the only thing thats changed is the platform from which they spew their ignorance. don’t think for a second your fav bands – metal or punk or otherwise – endorse your weird incel ass lifestyle. so many of these bands have stood side stage at our shows and treat us with respect. why? bc they aren’t threatened by a strong woman front a great band in a completely diff genre of music.”
On Saturday, Williams gave an update on her health after the band rescheduled four shows in the U.S. due to what was originally described as an illness within the band. “We kick back up Saturday in Tulsa (!!!) after a week of misery, sadness, and bellyfuls of antibiotics and steroids,” Williams wrote, referring to the group’s July 29 concert at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. “For the record, we did not have food poisoning or a band-wide s— fest.”
On July 22, the band postponed a gig in San Francisco just hours before showtime before postponing three more shows in Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City; all four were rescheduled for this month.
“In all seriousness, this past week has been really tough,” she added in her original post. “Nobody would know this but I started getting sick in Houston (non contagious) and muscled my way all the way through LA. Adrenaline is a wonder! But by the time the excitement and the nerves from all the LA shenanigans wore off, my body just gave out.”
Williams’ since-expired Sunday Story also included a screenshot of a tweet in which someone noted that Metallica and Iron Maiden still “manage” to play shows when they are sick, “all of which are much older than you love.”
“Neither [Metallica singer] James [Hetfield] NOR [Iron Maiden singer] Bruce [Dickinson] are gonna suck your d–k for this, LOVE,” Williams shot back. She also responded to another commenter who noted that Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl came back on stage and performed after falling off a stage and breaking his leg in 2015.
Williams didn’t have time for that one, either. “I have a lung infection you soft s—! Not a broken limb,” she wrote to the person who called her “whiney,” noting, “One you can sing with for 2 hours, another you cant. But worry not! The shows weren’t canceled, merely postponed a week. Maybe you should come out to one of them… like Dave did.”
The latter was a reference to Paramore’s set at Bonnaroo last month during which Williams invited Grohl up to sing a cover of his band’s fan favorite “My Hero.”
