Kim Burrell apologizes to LGBT people after calling them ‘perverts’

July 23, 2024

Gospel singer Kim Burrell apologizes to the LGBTQ+ community for past homophobic comments (Carol Lee Rose/Getty Images)

Gospel singer Kim Burrell has apologized to the LGBTQ+ community for calling homosexuality a “perversion.”

Burrell, who has worked with Missy Elliott and Pharrell Williams, “applauded” the LGBTQ+ community at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Saturday (July 20) and apologized for her 2016 comment.

As she accepted the Aretha Franklin Icon Award on stage, Burrell said she wanted to use the moment to build bridges between herself and queer people.

“I want to apologize to the LGBTQ community,” the singer said. “We give them a huge round of applause. We want them to be strong and to truly know that we all have to do the work to accept all of God’s people and show His love to all.”

“I hope that this award and this moment can be the beginning of building bridges and listening to one another as we pursue peace with all people.”

What did Kim Burrell say about LGBTQ+ people?

Burrell, who is also a pastor, was condemned by fans and artists she had worked with after the homophobic sermon in which she warned gay people they would die the following year.

She also blamed gay men for the spread of the AIDS virus.

“Everyone in this room who is filled with the homosexual spirit, pray that God sets you free. You play with it in 2017, you will die from it,” she said at the time. “This perverted homosexual spirit is a spirit of deception and confusion.”

“If you, as a man, open your mouth and put a man’s penis in your face, you are a pervert. If you, as a woman, shake your breasts in another woman’s face, you are a pervert.”

When a video of her rant surfaced shortly thereafter, she apologized and claimed that she loves LGBTQ+ people because “God loves you” but “God hates sin.”

Following the incident, Ellen DeGeneres excluded her from a scheduled appearance on her show, Williams condemned her comments, she was disqualified from a gospel awards ceremony and lost her radio show.

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