People are protesting this homophobic singer’s appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
A petition has been created to prevent gospel singer Kim Burrell from appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after the singer and pastor made homophobic comments during a recent sermon at her Houston church.
Burrell is set to appear on the show alongside Pharrell Williams and Janelle Monáe to sing “I See Victory,” taken from soundtrack to the movie Hidden Figures.
According to a report by Entertainment Weekly, Burrell came under fire after a video surfaced in which she appears to be preaching against homosexuality.
“You as a man, you open your mouth and take a man’s penis in your face, you are perverted,’ the video sees her say. “You are a woman and will shake your face in another woman’s breast, you are perverted.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT5gpBaFpaw?feature=oembed
Burrell then released a pair of Facebook videos in which she defended herself, claiming that her words had been not been directed at the LGBTQ+ community, and that her address was specifically for church people.
“I never said LGBT last night,” she said in her alleged apology. “I said S-I-N.”
Burrell went on to say that she loved people and then addressed the LGBTQ+ community.
"To every person that is dealing with the homosexual spirit, that has it, I love you because God loves you, she said. “But God hates the sin in you and me, anything that is against the nature of God. I’m called to do what God called me to do, and that’s it, and I do it with passion."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlRxnjS7IY4
Later, in a second video, Burrell denied that she said that all gay people were going to hell.
Now a Change.org petition has been started protesting against Kim Burrell’s appearance on Ellen.
The petition states that Burrell’s alleged rhetoric goes against the “young LGBT people who love and support Pharrell, The Ellen Show and those who have been inspired by the movie Hidden Figures that carries a message of affirming ones ability and merit, not bashing and diminishing humans based on gender (or race, or sexuality and more).” So far the petition has garnered nearly 5000 signatures.
On December 31st, 2016, Pharrell Williams tweeted what some have read as a retort to controversy.
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) December 31, 2016
Similarly, Janelle Monáe took to Instagram to share her own thoughts on the matter.
"I shouldn't even have to post this as you guys should already know where I stand but If you do not pls know I unequivocally repudiate ANY AND ALL hateful comments against the LGBTQ community," she wrote in part. "Actually I'm tired of that label. We all belong to the same community, a shared community called humanity. And today and tomorrow and the next day I will continue to stand with other like minded people who condemn any and all statements and actions that would seek to deny the basic humanity of our fellow brothers and sisters."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOtFCavgE7B
Despite their outspoken posts, however, neither Pharrell or Janelle Monáe mentioned Kim Burrell by name.
All three singers are slated to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 5th. As of yet, it’s unknown whether Burrell’s appearance on the show will go ahead, and, as EW report, representatives for DeGeneres have yet to make a comment regarding the controversies.
