Shania Twain has a "hard time understanding hate".

The 57-year-old singer has enjoyed incredible success during the course of her career, and she's implored the country music community to embrace all kinds of people.

Shania told The Messenger: "I don't know whether it's more sensitive than it's ever been in my lifetime, but it's certainly a very sensitive time for everyone.

"As a race, as a human race, we're all being put through so many stresses. I know with my family, we talk about things, we get confused, sometimes we have to talk things through and really try to understand. So I'm not surprised that there's a lot of divide on many levels.

"But I think in the end that if you put love first - if you really, really do - and you put inclusion first, you will find the right answer. I have a bleeding heart; I have a hard time understanding hate. We need each other. So it makes me sad that we have all of this conflict, but we have to just appeal to our humanity, our love and the goodness in ourselves."

Shania feels particularly angered by the recent attacks on the drag community.

The award-winning star said: "I find it sad that there's so much room and time to criticise each other and to judge each other for our personal decisions and choices.

"The only place I could feel safe wearing anything form-fitting was in a gay club. How can that be right? So I'm a bit sentimental about how it feels to not be accepted and to be objectified or judged, or not being able to be yourself and who you truly are. Of course you have to be who you truly are. That goes without saying."