Queer Eye’s Karamo urges LGBTQ+ people to vote in ‘critical’ election: ‘Our rights depend on it’
Queer Eye star Karamo Brown says LGBTQ+ rights will ‘depend on’ the US election. (Getty).
Queer Eye’s culture expert Karamo Brown has shared an impassioned message with LGBTQ+ voters ahead of what he calls the critical US presidential election next month.
Speaking exclusively to PinkNews, the TV host expressed his concern that LGBTQ+ Americans were facing serious “challenges to our rights, our dignit, and our futures” as the prospect of Donald Trump returning to the White House looms large.
LGBTQ+ people’s “vote matters, especially now, at this critical moment in our history”, he insisted.
The election will be held on 5 November, with Republican former president Trump looking to win back the White House from the Democrats.
Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris has a history of supporting the queer community, while Trump is widely seen as the most anti-LGBTQ+ president in recent history.
Trump has promised to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports, peddled lies about schools forcing children to transition, and said that he will ban gender-affirming healthcare for trans youngsters.
“Our community has fought too long and too hard to have progress taken away,” Brown said. “So, my message to LGBTQ+ voters is simple: we are a force and our votes are our strongest tool. This election season, let’s show up, let’s be heard and let’s protect the future of our community. Our rights depend on it.”
Brown will be honoured with the national leadership award at this weekend’s National LGBTQ Task Force gala in Florida for his advocacy around HIV support, education and prevention.
Since 1973, the National LGBTQ+ Task Force has worked to advance equality for LGBTQ+ people across the US. This year’s gala is fundraising to support the organisation’s “Queer the Vote” campaign, which aims to galvanise LGBTQ+ people to head to the polls next month.
“The Queer the Vote campaign is about more than just showing up. It’s about using our collective power to ensure we are represented and protected,” added Brown, who wants a future where there is a “complete eradication of stigma” around, and in, the community, “whether it’s [about] HIV, gender identity or sexual orientation”.
He went on to say: “I want to live in a world where LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are Black and brown, can exist freely without fear of violence, discrimination or rejection. What gives me hope is the new generation of queer activists and leaders who are pushing for that change. They are fearless, intersectional and relentless in their fight for justice.
“They give me hope that real, lasting progress is not just possible, it’s inevitable.”
In 2015, the Emmy-Award-winner founded 6in10.org, an organisation which works to fight stigma around HIV and provide mental-health support and education for Black and brown queer people affected by the virus.
He has working with organisations such as the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the National Black Justice Coalition, and, during Barack Obama’s presidency, with the White House, helping create policies supporting young LGBTQ+ people.
“This work is deeply personal for me,” he said. “Growing up, I saw first-hand the impact of HIV stigma within my own community. It wasn’t just about the disease, it was about shame, isolation and silence. As a Black queer man, I knew that so many in our community were suffering not just from the illness but from the stigma that came with it.
“I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. My journey started by wanting to create spaces where people affected by HIV felt seen and heard. For me, it was about ensuring that no one felt less than because of their status. This work began with recognising that our stories, our lives, are worth fighting for.”
The National LGBTQ Task Force gala takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Saturday (19 October).
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