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Amid Spicer Furor, Karamo Brown Slams Trump at The Advocate's LGBTQ Forum
Amid Spicer Furor, Karamo Brown Slams Trump at The Advocate's LGBTQ Forum
The address comes after the Queer Eye star sparked controversy for calling Sean Spicer "a good guy."
Karamo Brown took a decisive stand against the Trump administration Friday at the LGBTQ Presidential Forum.
The Queer Eye star -- who found himself in hot water in August after calling Sean Spicer, Trump's former White House press secretary, a "good guy" -- delivered a surprise speech condemning the White House at the event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which gathered 10 presidential candidates to discuss LGBTQ issues.
"It is no secret that President Trump and his administration are not friends of the LGBTQ community. It's not just Donald Trump who is the problem, it's the people surrounding him," Brown said. "The rhetoric coming from the White House that is meant to divide our nation and target marginalized communities has to stop. And it is time for all marginalized communities to stand united."
"The 2020 presidential election is too important for the LGBTQ community, for the black community, and for those Americans like me who live at the intersection to be silent," he continued. "We need to be loud and proud. Tonight is all about giving us the tools to let our friends and family know what is at stake."
(RELATED: Here's How to Watch The Advocate's Historic LGBTQ Forum in Iowa)
Brown had incited a storm of controversy last month for saying he was "excited" to participate in ABC's Dancing with the Stars alongside Spicer and have "respectful conversations" with the Republican, who previously served as the mouthpiece to the president's lies and vitriol. Critics, including prominent LGBTQ activists, slammed Brown for the remarks, which resulted in the reality star deleting his Twitter account. It has since been reinstated.
In his Friday remarks, Brown urged viewers to make their voices heard on social media through the hashtag #LGBTQforum. The event, co-hosted by GLAAD, One Iowa, The Gazette, and The Advocate, features a discussion of LGBTQ issues with Former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Pennsylvania representative Joe Sestak, U.S Senator Elizabeth Warren, and author Marianne Williamson.
"Only together, can we overcome the divisiveness that President Trump has caused. Thank you," Brown concluded.
