âAgents of the devilâ: Michigan secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo's anti-LGBTQ commentary
Written by Eric Hananoki
Published
Before winning her partyâs endorsement, Michigan secretary of state candidate Kristina Karamo hosted a podcast where she obsessively attacked LGBTQ people and their allies. Karamo said that LGBTQ people want to âindoctrinate society with sexual perversionâ and normalize pedophilia; claimed that LGBTQ people âultimately die separated from God and go to hellâ; and stated that LGBTQ supporters are âthe enemyâ and âagents of the devil.â
On April 23, the Michigan Republican Party backed Karamo as the organizationâs choice for secretary of state. Karamo has heavily promoted the false claim that the election was stolen from then-President Donald Trump, who has backed her. She is a member of a QAnon-connected âcoalitionâ that has been attempting to recruit and elect like-minded secretary of state candidates. Last year she attended a QAnon conference organized by QAnon influencer John Sabal (known online as âQAnon John"), with whom she is apparently still in contact.Â
In addition to attacking LGBTQ people and their allies, Karamo has claimed that BeyonceÌ, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, yoga, and a Korean drama are tools of Satan.Â
As a commentator, Karamo frequently attacked LGBTQ people for supposedly living in sin and criticized those who support LGBTQ people. Several media outlets have previously reported on anti-LGBTQ statements made by Karamo:
- CNN reported that Karamo criticized schools for teaching children about LGBTQ parents, and quoted her saying in one episode: âThere is no such thing as a person with two mommies and two daddies. That is just factually incorrect.â The outlet also quoted her in another episode saying of two same-sex parents: âNo, it's the parent and their homosexual lover. That's what's going on.âÂ
- Heartland Signal reported that on one episode of her podcast, âKaramo declares that she understands that same sex attraction âin and of itself is unnaturalââ and âranted about schools teaching LGBTQ issues and transgender youth acceptance. She referred to teaching those topics as âSatan ⊠trying to get children while theyâre small,â and said, âthe education system is being used as a tool to push sexual sin.ââÂ
- Bridge Michigan reported that Karamo said in a podcast âthat LGBT people in same-sex relationships are âjust as guilty of eternal damnation as the person being a fornicator, but the bigger danger is that that relationship can never be made right.ââ The publication also quoted her stating: âWhen we have a federal government and we have judges trying to bind people into sexual brokenness, forever, that is nothing more than the work of Satan.âÂ
- The 'Gander reported that Karamo said in a YouTube video that accepting same-sex relationships leads to âpedophilia being normalizedâ and âbestiality being normalized.âÂ
Media Matters found numerous other anti-LGBTQ remarks by Karamo on her now-defunct Itâs Solid Food podcast. (While discussing LGBTQ people, Karamo attempted to defend herself against potential criticism by saying that she is concerned âfor the well-being of othersâ because âpeople's souls are on the line.â)Â
Karamo said the political LGBTQ movementâs purpose is to âindoctrinate society with sexual perversionâ and get to a place where âpedophilia is going to be normalized.â From a podcast where Karamo was talking with guest, commentator, and Republican official Shane Trejo:Â
Karamo said that LGBTQ people âlive separated from God and ultimately die separated from God and go to hell.âÂ
Karamo said that supporters of transgender youth are âagents of the devilâ who are âhelping children go to hell.âÂ
Karamo claimed that Christians who accept LGBTQ people are âworking on behalf of Satan.âÂ
Karamo: âGod did not intend for people to be transgender, or he did not intend for people to have sex with people of the same sex.âÂ
Karamo: âThe entire Pride month is celebrating rebellion against God's design for human sexuality.â
Karamo: LGBTQ people using a rainbow âto celebrate homosexualityâ is âextremely disrespectfulâ and âblasphemyâ because the symbol of the rainbow has a biblical meaning as well. From a podcast where Karamo was discussing the book of Genesis in the Bible:Â
Karamo said that âthe enemy is getting in through the schools. ⊠they want to take kindergartners and teach them that some people have two mommies and two daddies.âÂ
Karamo defended conversion therapy as helping people who struggle with âsin.â While Karamo portrayed conversion therapy as effective, conversion therapy is actually a torturous and discredited practice that medical professionals have said doesnât work.Â
Karamo said that she refuses to call Caitlyn Jenner by her name and misgendered her. Deadnaming and misgendering trans people are forms of harassment.Â