Kim Burrell Defends Her Homophobic Sermon, Says She Was Talking to "Church People"

Gospel artist, television personality and pastor Kim Burrell incited backlash with a sermon denouncing those who possess a "homosexual spirit" she delivered at the church leads in Houston.

“That perverted homosexual spirit, and the spirit of delusion and confusion, it has deceived many men and women,” Burrell told the congregation. “You as a man, you open your mouth and take a man’s penis in your face—you are perverted. You are a woman and will shake your face in another woman’s breast, you are perverted.”



The remarks quickly went viral.

This type of rhetoric isn't unusual in Christian churches, but Burrell's comments are particularly pointed because of a scheduled appearance on Ellen to promote the Hidden Figures soundtrack. Burrell also sang on a track on Frank Ocean's latest album, Blonde. Ocean has not publicly declared he is gay, but he wrote an open letter in 2012 about falling in love with a man.

In response to the outrage, Burrell took to her Facebook page in an effort to clarify her statements.



Burrell said she was't attacking gay people, "I never said LGBT last night. I said S-I-N," she explained.


“So many people seem to be affected by something that is such a lie,” Burrell said. “I never said that all gays were going to Hell. That never came out of my mouth. Y’all quit spreading that.”

Her sermon, she says, were for a group who heard it.

“I was addressing church people,” Burrell said. “See? See how misconstrued y’all got it? I was addressing church people. And let’s get even more specific—ones who were in my church.”

After the video went viral, Pharrell Williams, who produced the Hidden Figures soundtrack and has performed with Burrell to support it, posted this message on Instagram.

"I condemn hate speech. There is no room in this world for any kind of prejudice. My greatest hope is for inclusion and love for all humanity in 2017 and beyond."

A photo posted by Pharrell Williams (@pharrell) on Dec 31, 2016 at 10:49am PST

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