Black Trans Person Steals Mic at CNN's LGBT Town Hall, Screams at Network
A town hall devoted to LGBT issues briefly devolved into chaos when a black transgender activist called out CNN for what the activist claimed was under-representation of black individuals at the event.
The incident took place while Democratic presidential candidate and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas was on the stage with host Don Lemon.
One person was asking O’Rourke a question when the transgender activist stood up and grabbed the mic from her.
“I don’t want to take this away from you, but let me tell you something. Black trans women are being killed in this country and CNN you have erased black trans women for the last time. Let me tell you something,” the transgender activist, who identified as a woman named Blossom C. Brown, said.
“Black trans women are dying, our lives matter! I am an extraordinary black trans woman, and I deserve to be here.”
Brown then erupted at the alleged slighting of black people at the Los Angeles event.
“I am tired. I am so tired,” Brown said. “It’s not just my black trans women, it’s my black trans brothers too. And I’m going to say what I’m going to say.”
Lemon then cooed at Brown.
“Blossom, let me tell you something. The reason that we’re here is to validate people like you,” he said.
But Brown was not easily assuaged.
“Your actions have to speak louder than words,” Brown said. “Not one black trans woman has taken the mic tonight. Not one black trans man has taken the mic tonight.”
“We want to hear from you. We have had trans people of color, Lemon said, later adding, “but we are proud and happy that you’re here.”
Lemon then gave the mic back to Brown and noted that they had limited time.
“That’s how anti-blackness works among people of color,” Brown said, referring to “the erasure of black trans people. I’m here. We’re here in this room. Please give us that opportunity.”
Lemon responded, “Blossom, thank you so much. We appreciate it.”
O’Rourke later singled out Brown in a post-event tweet.
“Blossom, thank you for making your voice heard tonight. We will hold a town hall focused on trans women of color. And I hope you’ll be there,” O’Rourke tweeted.
Some voices suggested that Democrats were going overboard to woo transgender voters.
“The Democratic narrative, repeated by almost every candidate at this point, that trans women of color face a neverending onslaught of hate crimes and violence is just not supported by reality.”https://t.co/wyVF2ufZnV
— Brad Polumbo (@brad_polumbo) October 11, 2019
“Trans women of color” are killed at a lower rate than actual women despite engaging in extremely risky behavior like prostitution at astounding levels. Virtually all those murders the democrats are talking about were by lovers and boyfriends, not “hate crimes.” #EqualityTownHall
— Chadwick Moore (@Chadwick_Moore) October 11, 2019
Earlier in the event, after a brief disruption, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said he had empathy for the transgender community.
“I do want to acknowledge what these demonstrators are speaking about, which is the epidemic of violence against black trans women,” Buttigieg said, prompting applause from the crowd.
“And I believe or would like to believe that everybody here is committed to ending that epidemic, and that does include lifting up … visibility and speaking to it,” he said, according to CNN.
Buttigieg said he was “very mindful of the fact that my experience as a gay man, but as a white cis-gendered gay man, means that there are dimensions for example of what it’s like to be a black trans woman that I do not personally understand. But I also think the diversity within the LGBTQ-plus community is part of what we have to offer right now.”
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