And for the record, the David Beckham thing was very, very different. To the extent that Beckham was cancelled over his paid gig as an "ambassador" for Qatar at the World Cup (meaning not at all. He was criticized loudly, not cancelled), it was at the urging of queer British comedian Joe Lycett. Lycett, in his trademark style, trolled Beckham in order to raise awareness that FIFA and the government of Qatar were working together to silence athletes speaking up in favor of queer rights.

Of note here is that Lycett himself has performed in Qatar and has never stated or implied that merely performing for pay is objectionable or unacceptable.

In fact, given the gentle but overtly queer nature of Lycett's act, taking it to Qatar probably helps raise awareness and advance good will.

His issue with Beckham was much more nuanced and complicated than "don't accept gigs in countries with anti-queer laws." He wanted Beckham to leverage his platform. He wanted Beckham to speak up. He wanted Beckham to help spread awareness and love.

To some extent, Lycett succeeded. His message made an impact and raised consciousness. It's disappointing, though, that some people evidently came away with something quite different from what Lycett was actually saying.

He was not saying don't take gigs in Gulf states. He wasn't saying that at all.