Skillet is facing criticism from some of its own fans following Bad Wolves’ removal from the band’s upcoming fall tour. The backlash grew after Bad Wolves singer Sara “KILLBOY” Skinner suggested that scrutiny of her personal life from Skillet’s fanbase played a role in the situation.
The controversy began after Bad Wolves had already been announced for the tour. According to Skinner, some Skillet fans then looked into her background, leading to questions and speculation about her identity and online activity. Bad Wolves were later removed from the tour, although Skillet has not publicly detailed the reason behind the decision.
Skinner addressed the situation in a video statement posted on August 26, saying Skillet’s camp had preferred that she not discuss what happened publicly.
“I have gathered you all here today to inform you that Bad Wolves will no longer be joining Skillet on their upcoming tour. Now, Skillet’s camp did not want me to say anything, but apparently a statement has to be made. And I’m not someone who’s ever hidden who the f*ck I am, so let’s not leave you to speculate, Okay? Here’s the truth. Skillet announced us on their tour, and their fans had a field day doing very extensive research that their booking agents and management did not do. Upon their findings, I am a trans, OnlyFans, bitch. Now unfortunately, only one of those things is true. Have fun finding out and we will see you on the next tour.”
Skinner did not clarify which of those claims was true, instead leaving that question open while confirming that Bad Wolves would no longer be part of the tour.
One day after the controversy began attracting attention, Skillet shared a backstage warmup video featuring frontman John Cooper. The post did not address Bad Wolves or Skinner, and its caption simply read:
“Every rockstar warms up like this, we don’t make the rules.” However, the comment section quickly became another place for fans to debate the tour decision. Some accused Skillet of hypocrisy, pointing to the Christian rock band’s frequent emphasis on faith, love, and respect while questioning why Skinner’s personal life should have any effect on whether Bad Wolves could perform alongside them.
One Skillet fan directly challenged the decision from a religious perspective, “Wouldn’t it be more godly to keep Killboy and Bad Wolves on the tour to spread Jesus’s message to them instead of deciding someone’s past means they shouldn’t get opportunities in the music industry? Cause I’m pretty sure Jesus didn’t say ’judge people based on what they had to do for money and don’t let them near you.’”
Another commenter compared their view of the band today with how they remembered Skillet two decades ago. “2006 Skillet seemed like they were accepting and loving of everyone. 2026 Skillet seems like they would call me a slur in the name of God.”
A third fan argued that neither the speculation about Skinner being transgender nor claims involving OnlyFans should have affected a touring decision.
“Actually pathetic you’d kick someone off a tour with you for being trans or choosing to make content on Onlyfans, regardless if either of those statements are true. neither of them have anything to do with them playing music on a tour with you.”
The criticism reflects a larger issue now surrounding the situation. Some fans who support LGBTQ+ rights believe removing Bad Wolves over concerns connected to Skinner’s personal life would conflict with Skillet’s message of showing love and respect to others. However, Skinner’s statement does not independently establish exactly why Bad Wolves were removed, and Skillet has not publicly confirmed that her identity, online activity, or fan complaints were the reason.
For now, what is clear is that Bad Wolves will not be joining Skillet on the upcoming tour, while Skinner has chosen to publicly address the circumstances surrounding their exit. Until Skillet provides its own explanation, the exact reason behind the decision remains disputed, but the reaction underneath the band’s latest post shows that the controversy is unlikely to disappear quietly.
