HARD Fest issues a statement to FACT after their trailer for HARD Summer 2017 is hit with backlash.

Earlier this week, a new trailer for the 2017 HARD Summer weekender was met with ire for its attempt at satirizing sexism in the music industry. Featuring DJ Snake and a handful of other EDM performers dressed in fake plastic breasts and placed in many insulting and exploitative scenarios, the trailer used director Agata Alexander’s vision and sense of humor to critique gender discrimination scenarios she herself had faced.

Many found the trailer in poor taste, including The Black Madonna and Annie Mac. (Alexander spoke to FACT about the backlash and her artistic intentions and you can read that interview here.) Part of this is because there 25 female artists on the lineup for HARD Summer, a staggeringly hefty amount in comparison to most festivals, and the trailer was also perceived as an attempt to seek out praise for booking so many women.

A representative for HARD Fest founder Gary Richards reached out to FACT with a statement about the video. Read it 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.”

Read next: How the hell did this EDM festival trailer calling out sexist culture go so wrong?

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