Ricky Schroder presented his message as affection despite political disagreement, while critics across the reports argued that a public remembrance was the wrong place to foreground those differences. The dispute also renewed attention to Parton’s record of urging respect for LGBTQIA+ people and supporting vaccine research.

The backlash centered on an Instagram post attributed to Schroder, who played a version of Parton’s father in Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. In the post, he thanked Parton for choosing him as her “Movie Daddy,” but added that he did not agree with her support for transgender people and COVID-19 vaccines.

Schroder’s wording — “I didnt agree with her advocating for Transgender & Covid Vaccine support…but Loved her anyway” — was interpreted very differently by commenters. To Schroder’s apparent view, it expressed personal affection while acknowledging a disagreement; to critics, it made a memorial message about his own politics.¹

Several reactions cited in the coverage focused less on whether disagreement was permissible than on its timing and prominence. One commenter called it a “Tone deaf tribute,” saying Parton “advocated for love and not judging anyone,” while another said he could simply have omitted the reference to what he opposed.²

The contrast is sharpened by Parton’s public positions. Reports noted that she spoke against anti-transgender legislation and said, “I think everybody should be treated with respect,” adding that people should have the chance “to be who and what they are.”³ She also donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, funding that was reported to have contributed to research behind the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.²

Amid the criticism, Schroder was also reported to have shared a clip of Parton supporting vaccination and written that he had warned her not to back what he called “the Experiment.” Critics said that further shifted the focus from Parton’s life and work to the disagreement he highlighted.³