Don Lemon tearfully reflects on being a child sex abuse survivor & thanks Tim Tebow for speaking out: ‘This sh-t needs to stop’

Lemon, a child sex abuse survivor, went on the offensive in light of more information being released about Jeffrey Epstein.

Tim Tebow, by all accounts, will be remembered as an all-time great college football player. He’s also an outspoken Christian and advocate for children, launching the Tim Tebow Foundation to help combat human trafficking, support orphans and provide medical care for children worldwide. And he’s gained a new fan in none other than Don Lemon.

After a recent Tebow interview with Shawn Ryan resurfaced, particularly a segment about protecting children, Lemon found himself emotional after Tebow spoke out about the individuals who statistically have harmed children the most.

“The number one offender type is biological fathers,” Tebow said. “But by far it is being done by middle-aged Caucasian men. Many, over half of them college graduates, it’s time we call them out.”

He added, “We can’t stand by and stand back. We have to stand up. Not only are we not doing our job as men, it’s actually the opposite. Instead of being defenders and protectors of our families, we’re hurting and abusing.”

Lemon, fighting back tears at points during his monologue, applauded Tebow in a video he shared to his Instagram on Friday (Nov. 14) while wondering about why the abuse of children could be seen as a political issue in light of a trove of information about deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein being released to the public.

“Thank you, Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow is right,” Lemon began. “And so why isn’t MAGA, why isn’t conservative media exploiting this s–t? F–k you, conservative media. And anyone who calls me a race baiter and a racist for saying these things, are you calling Tim Tebow the same sh–t?”

On Thursday (Nov. 13), more emails from Epstein regarding President Trump were revealed by members of the House Oversight Committee, including accusations that Trump spent time with a victim of Epstein that he knew was underage. On Friday, more emails and correspondence from Epstein were revealed, highlighting his ties to several notable political figures.

Lemon leaned in further on what he believed was a double standard in terms of reporting and why abuse wasn’t being taken seriously by the political right.

“Because someone like me, a journalist, points it out … it can’t be right? It can’t be accurate? That I must have an agenda. My only agenda is that as a survivor and this s–t needs to stop,” he said. “And the truth is, It’s right. It’s conservative people, men in the MAGA orbit, white men, men who have close proximity to children.”

Lemon continued, “[Tebow] says that the men consuming child sexual abuse material in this country are overwhelmingly middle-aged white men,” Lemon said.  “Educated white men, employed white men, men with families, men who look normal, men who look stable, men who live in the suburbs and coach Little League. But they don’t fit the right wing’s description. They’re not Black. They’re not Latino. They’re not immigrants. They’re not drag queen. They’re not trans. They’re not gay. And this whole Epstein thing is like, it just gets me because now you’re protecting other people.”

Lemon wrote about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child in his 2011 memoir, “Transparent.” Looking back at his previous comments regarding abusers and how they come in “all shapes and sizes,” Lemon’s vitriol toward the subject is justified. 

And he’s not letting up regarding individuals protecting abusers.