Carrie Underwood Comes Out in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage

Jennifer Pottheiser for iHeartRadio

Carrie Underwood, the popular country singer and red carpet fashion darling, has come out firmly in favor of gay marriage.

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"As a married person myself, I don't know what it's like to be told I can't marry somebody I love and want to marry," she said in an interview with The Independent. "I can't imagine how that must feel. I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love."

This puts the 29-year-old singer, who won American Idol in 2005 smack dab in the middle of a vehement social debate. President Barack Obama recently endorsed same-sex unions. His Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, is firmly against same-sex marriage, and it will be a major issue in the upcoming presidential election.

Underwood speaks frequently about her faith and has woven it into her songs, such as the No 1 country hit "Jesus Take the Wheel."

Underwood maintains that her position about same-sex marriage is because of her Christian values. She was raised a Baptist, but she and her husband, pro ice-hockey player Mike Fisher, worship in a non-denominational congregation.

"Our church is gay friendly," she explains. "Above all, God wanted us to love others. It's not about setting rules, or  'everyone has to be like me.' No. We're all different. That's what makes us special. We have to love each other and get on with each other. It's not up to me to judge anybody."

Tell us in the comments below: What do you think about Carrie Underwood’s statement?