 |
| Karamo Brown |
By Jeryl Lippe, Condé Nast Traveler
It isn’t hard to tell why Karamo Brown was cast on the Netflix hit series Queer Eye. His preferred greeting is a warm hug rather than a professional handshake, and his confident, compassionate eye contact makes it clear he is the ultimate people-person. After all, Brown’s role as 'culture expert' often sees him maneuvering through difficult conversations with the men undergoing the transformations on the show—from reliving past traumas with a man who lost his father to digging into the realities of police brutality with a police officer. He was built for teachable moments.
We sat down with Brown ahead of the release of Season 2 of Queer Eye at the American Express Simplify Your Summer event, celebrating the launch of the new Cash Magnet Card, which he curated, to talk about his dream honeymoon, traveling as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and experiencing culture by seeing the world.
How do you use travel to teach yourself—and others—about culture?
My role [on the show] is all about fixing the inside [of people]. And one of the ways that I help people fix their inside is about being curious about life again, especially through travel. Because a lot of times what happens is that we get stuck, and people tell us that these four walls are the walls we belong in. And when you do that, you’re blocking yourself off from any new experiences that will help you grow. I always encourage people to get out there, travel the world, see new things, experience new people, experience new food, experience new culture. What happens is that helps you to grow and be your best self.
What advice would you give to travelers in the LGBTQ+ community that may be apprehensive about traveling the world?
First of all, we have to acknowledge that it is a legitimate fear. A lot of times, I’ve had people in the LGBTQ+ community who say, “I shouldn’t feel this way, I should just get on a plane.” No, you should always protect yourself; have the hard conversation with yourself that there are some places around that world that aren’t accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Once you do that, it’s about feeling empowered to reach out to the hotels, the airlines, and asking them their policy when it comes to LGBTQ+ people.
I was going to Dubai recently and I called the hotel [my fiancé and I] were staying at. They said: “You and your fiancé will not be able to get a king-sized bed here because that is illegal to us and we will not support you or serve you.” Immediately I said, “Thank you for the information, I’m going to be canceling my reservation now and I won’t be traveling there.” If I did not feel empowered to have that hard conversation, then I might’ve gone there and felt unsafe or put myself in a dangerous position. You can also use social media as a way to connect with other people: Find out what the cultures are like when it comes to LGBTQ+ human rights and how they relate to people and understanding that.
Congratulations on your recent engagement by the way—do you have any dream honeymoon plans?
Thanks, boo! We actually want to take two months off and hit up every continent. I think there’s something special about taking a journey [like that] together—it's symbolic of taking a journey together through life.
Do you have a travel memory from when you were growing up that you’ve passed on to your sons?
My family is Jamaican and Cuban, but we would go to see our Jamaican side every summer for three months, and every Christmas. One of the things I used to love was climbing trees and picking ackee fruit for breakfast. I remember my first time trying to do it and not being able to because I was too young and too small and I was giving up on myself. When I [finally] climbed it and picked a piece of fruit I thought to myself, “I accomplished something. I actually did something.” And so, with my kids, I take them to different Caribbean islands and if there’s a coconut in a tree or if there’s something there, I always say, “Go see if you can get it!” Or if there’s an apple tree, I say, “Climb up there and try to get an apple!” It’s all about telling them that it might seem like a daunting task, climbing up that tree and picking your own fruit, but if you don’t give up on yourself you can do it.
You talk about having your kids disconnect from their phones in the evening—do you have rules for disconnecting when you’re on vacation?
One hundred percent. When I’m on vacation, I’m the worst. The Fab Five and I just came back from Australia and London and I posted the least amount of photos, period. It's because I’m always in the moment. A lot of times we forget the power of our own memories to take photographs that will last with us. So I always take a moment to take snapshots in my mind and remember the smells, remember the feeling, remember the people, because that’s what’s going to stick with me. So often, we take photos on our iPhone and then they’re gone in a year and we don’t even remember them. I like to experience life and disconnect from that.
My role [on the show] is all about fixing the inside [of people]. And one of the ways that I help people fix their inside is about being curious about life again, especially through travel. Because a lot of times what happens is that we get stuck, and people tell us that these four walls are the walls we belong in. And when you do that, you’re blocking yourself off from any new experiences that will help you grow. I always encourage people to get out there, travel the world, see new things, experience new people, experience new food, experience new culture. What happens is that helps you to grow and be your best self.
First of all, we have to acknowledge that it is a legitimate fear. A lot of times, I’ve had people in the LGBTQ+ community who say, “I shouldn’t feel this way, I should just get on a plane.” No, you should always protect yourself; have the hard conversation with yourself that there are some places around that world that aren’t accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Once you do that, it’s about feeling empowered to reach out to the hotels, the airlines, and asking them their policy when it comes to LGBTQ+ people.
Thanks, boo! We actually want to take two months off and hit up every continent. I think there’s something special about taking a journey [like that] together—it's symbolic of taking a journey together through life.
My family is Jamaican and Cuban, but we would go to see our Jamaican side every summer for three months, and every Christmas. One of the things I used to love was climbing trees and picking ackee fruit for breakfast. I remember my first time trying to do it and not being able to because I was too young and too small and I was giving up on myself. When I [finally] climbed it and picked a piece of fruit I thought to myself, “I accomplished something. I actually did something.” And so, with my kids, I take them to different Caribbean islands and if there’s a coconut in a tree or if there’s something there, I always say, “Go see if you can get it!” Or if there’s an apple tree, I say, “Climb up there and try to get an apple!” It’s all about telling them that it might seem like a daunting task, climbing up that tree and picking your own fruit, but if you don’t give up on yourself you can do it.
One hundred percent. When I’m on vacation, I’m the worst. The Fab Five and I just came back from Australia and London and I posted the least amount of photos, period. It's because I’m always in the moment. A lot of times we forget the power of our own memories to take photographs that will last with us. So I always take a moment to take snapshots in my mind and remember the smells, remember the feeling, remember the people, because that’s what’s going to stick with me. So often, we take photos on our iPhone and then they’re gone in a year and we don’t even remember them. I like to experience life and disconnect from that.
