A man’s engagement post, where he proposed to his glamorous girlfriend, has sparked a fierce online backlash. Addison Smith, 24, shared photos of his proposal to Charis Edwards, 22, a senior booking producer for “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” on Sunday. The accompanying caption quickly polarized the internet: “Pride month is so defeated. I love you @charisedwardss,” Smith wrote on X.
After the post went viral, Smith told DailyMail.com, “Just when we thought our engagement weekend couldn’t get any better, we triggered an entire army of libs in the process. We can’t think of a better way to cap off pride month.”
In the engagement photos, Smith is seen kneeling with a diamond ring, dressed in tan khaki pants and a blue floral button-down shirt. Edwards wore a short pastel pink dress with a large bow in the back as she embraced her soon-to-be husband.
The caption caused significant friction online, with many, particularly members of the LGBTQ+ community, expressing their disapproval. One commenter said, “It’s not really clear to me you needed to make such a beautiful moment about LGBTQ people, especially when we want y’all to find your happiness in family as much as we do. Hoping you find peace in this next chapter.” Another added, “Imagine proposing to someone and immediately thinking about how it affects gays. Which it doesn’t.”
Some comments were even harsher: “I send her my sympathies,” and “Condolences to your wife,” wrote others.
Despite the backlash, Smith and Edwards brushed off the controversy surrounding their post. Smith, a former national correspondent for Newsmax, had previously hosted “In Focus With Addison Smith” on One America News Network. He shared stunning engagement photos of the couple, with the contentious caption attracting significant online attention.
One commenter sarcastically noted, “So what you’re saying is as you’re proposing to a woman, what you’re thinking about is gay people.” Another lamented, “This is so sad… so very, very sad. What should have been one of the greatest moments of your life, and all you can think about is pride month… Does she know?”
Edwards reposted Smith’s tweet with the comment, “Make June Great Again.” Smith responded by sharing her tweet and adding, “Make June not gay again.” He continued to express his views, posting a meme of Conor McGregor winning a championship belt at a UFC match, captioned: “To the gay libs that are mad because I got engaged to my beautiful wife-to-be during pride month.”
Smith also reposted a tweet stating, “Addison REALLY wants gay people to know that he is engaged to a WOMAN,” to which he replied, “Yes, because she’s awesome and being straight rocks.” Reveling in the attention, he boasted, “Hundreds of thousands of views. Endless angry comments. The libs are triggered. PRIDE MONTH IS DECIMATED!! HUGE WHITE BOY SUMMER W.”
Before joining Newsmax, Smith had appeared on Fox News, The Blaze, the Daily Wire, and more, according to Just the News. His fiancée, Edwards, had also worked at One America News Network in on-air and writing positions.
Pride Month, celebrated in June, commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots and includes parades, marches, and outdoor events honoring the LGBTQ+ community. The couple’s engagement post has sparked a broader conversation about the intersection of personal milestones and public social issues.