Do you really think these guys are queer or do you think they think is is cutting edge and they want to ride that wave for the sake of political correctness. Brokeback Mountain is getting filled up, I suspect.
I think artists like Willie, Merle, and Dolly all want to stay relevant. That is why they jump on the latest lefty cause. I really worry about the new breed that was hand selected by the music industry rather than by moving up the ladder the old fashioned way. I think they are deliberately trying to infect the culture.