The conversation around Pastor Karri Bryant’s viral lace dress isn’t slowing down, and now she’s speaking for herself.
After weeks of online chatter and public defense from her husband, Pastor Jamal Bryant, Mrs. Bryant addressed the criticism head-on while appearing on The Tamron Hall Show alongside him.
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During the interview, Mrs. Bryant spoke about the backlash she received for wearing a black lace gown to the United Negro College Fund fundraising gala. She made it clear that her outfit choice was not about seeking attention or provoking public reaction. Instead, she emphasized that how she dresses is personal, explaining that she dresses for herself and for her husband.
She also pushed back against attempts to box her into a single identity, making it known that she is a multidimensional woman who refuses to be reduced to one role or expectation.
What Did Pastor Jamal Bryant Say?
Pastor Bryant previously addressed the viral reaction, saying the “internet went crazy” over his wife’s look while ignoring what he described as the real impact of the evening.
“I needed to get this straight. I needed to deal with it head on,” Bryant began in the video. “Because the other day, the internet went crazy about a dress my wife had on.”
He continued,
“Now, they didn’t say anything about the $4 million that was raised for the United Negro College Fund. They never mentioned that she prayed until Heaven came down. They never said anything about this was the largest fundraiser for HBCUs in the country. But insecure, jealous, petty, small-minded people got in their feelings and set up a false barometer of holiness based off of a dress.”
“Now, you got to help some people, because some people are going to embrace the full knowledge of ignorance without any assistance for understanding. The dress was not see-through, the dress was flesh-color.”
He closed by making his stance unmistakably clear.
“I need to set the record straight: I bought the dress! And I like it. I don’t care whether you like it or not; she ain’t married to all. She married to me.”
The Bryants have made it clear they’re standing together, focusing on the mission, and refusing to let internet outrage overshadow what they say truly mattered that night.