Founder of HARD Summer Gary Richards apologizes for controversial trailer video

Earlier this week, Southern California event HARD Summer released a short film to promote their recently announced line-up, which also attempted to tackle the touchy issue of the lack of women on festival rosters through a comedic skit involving several famous male DJs like What So Not, Kayzo, Party Favor and Claude VonStroke dressing up as women by donning fake breasts.

The video was met with some intense backlash from fans, artists and even a few women on the line-up themselves. Many claimed that the video was "tonedeaf", offending the trans community and failing to properly discuss the issue at hand since actual female talent was so scarce in the actual video itself.

Negative reactions to the trailer, which was created by Agata Alexander, went unaddressed officially by HARD or its organizers until now, when a representative of Gary Richards, the founder of HARD Events, issued an official statement to FACT regarding the controversy.

Read his full statement below:

"Here at HARD Events we are here for everyone. The HARD Summer trailer was created as a satirical piece to raise consciousness at a time when equality issues are of utmost importance. Our goal is to promote good music and we are trying to give women more of a platform at our festival.

My intentions here were only to help, not offend anyone, in supporting Agata’s vision and message. I understand that she does not speak for all women and how people could be upset by the trailer. There is always a risk of misinterpretation when satire is used, but we felt it was right to let her express herself and have creative control over the piece. We want to extend a sincere apology to those who were offended.

We hope the conversations started by this piece bring the change we intended and we will continue to be a champion for Women’s rights within our community and world at large."