Pastor Jamal Bryant isn’t mincing words when it comes to online criticism aimed at his wife’s wardrobe.
During a New Year’s Eve service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, the Atlanta pastor addressed viral commentary surrounding a dress worn by his wife, Dr. Karri Turner, to a recent formal event—and made it clear he wasn’t here for the outrage.
“The other day, the internet went crazy about a dress my wife had on,” Bryant told the congregation from the pulpit. “Now they didn’t say anything about the $4 million raised for the United Negro College Fund… they never mentioned that this was the largest fundraiser for UNCF and HBCUs in the country.”
According to Bryant, the backlash ignored the substance of the event entirely. Instead, he said critics fixated on the gown's appearance, which some online viewers incorrectly claimed was sheer.
Bryant pushed back on that narrative directly. “The dress was not see-through. The dress was flesh-colored,” he said, before adding that the reaction said more about the critics than the outfit itself.
Bryant also shut down speculation about whether he approved of the look. “I bought the dress. And I like it,” he said plainly. “I don’t care whether you like it or not. She ain’t married to y’all. She married to me! Mind your business!”
The remarks drew laughter and applause inside the church, but the message was straightforward: Turner’s attire was appropriate for the setting, and outside opinions weren’t part of the marriage. Bryant emphasized that the dress was worn to a gala-style fundraiser—not a worship service—and that context matters.
After the service, Bryant shared a clip of his remarks on Instagram, noting that the issue had already been handled. He used the moment to redirect attention toward broader concerns he says deserve more focus, including Black unemployment, health care access, protections for undocumented communities, and education equity.
In the same post, he highlighted outcomes from the New Year’s Eve service, including more than 100 people joining the church and over 1,000 children participating in its youth programs.
The moment also comes as Bryant remains a visible voice in national conversations about economic justice and corporate accountability, including, per Forbes, his leadership of the ongoing “We Ain’t Buying It” campaign, which is tied to corporate rollbacks of DEI initiatives.