Just in time of Pride Month, former CNN anchor Don Lemon is opening up about the naysayers and negative Nancies who spew ignorance regarding his interracial relationship with his partner Tim Malone.
For context, Malone—who is white—and Lemon began dating in 2016 before announcing their engagement three years later. As previously reported by The Root back in April 2024, they tied the knot this spring in New York. Various celebs and notable guests were in attendance such as Tamron Hall, Sunny Hostin, and more.
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Now, in a new interview on Dishin’ It With Justin Carter, The ShadeRoom’s newest series, Lemon shared that while he doesn’t get too bothered by folks talking about the race of his partner anymore—he does feel like the comments come from a place of ignorance and that people should “love who you love” at the end of the day.
“I don’t know if I get offended but I do think it’s ignorant yes and I know that it hurts him,” Lemon said. “To me it’s just ignorance actually. You love who you love. You fall in love with who you fall in love with. Had I fallen in love with a black man, I would’ve married a black man. Had I fallen in love with an Asian man I would’ve married an Asian man.”
He continued:
“It just so happens I fell in love with him and that’s who I married and that’s it. People should be able to love who they love. I’m not in anybody’s business. I didn’t tell my momma who she should marry. I didn’t tell my sister who she should marry and no one should be telling me who I should marry. People who have been discriminated against should know better.
Lemon is far from the only LGBTQ+ celeb to have an interracial relationship. Others such as Robin Roberts, Raven Symone, Colman Domingo, RuPaul and more all have partners of a different race. But that shouldn’t matter. For this Pride Month and every month after, let’s all make a vow to let people love who they love and turn down the negativity and hatred until its obsolete.
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