Queen Latifah: There's always been gay black people
Quote:
Bessie Smith’s complex history echoes in Latifah’s present-day life in a hauntingly familiar way, beyond an on-screen strip-down and trivial speculation. For years, Queen’s sexuality has been fodder for tabloids, blogs and the paparazzi.
And now, with her fluent handle of Bessie’s bisexual activities one could wonder: Is this Latifah’s coming out party? Not at all. “I’m not really sure how people will feel about [Bessie’s bisexuality],” she says of whether folks will raise eyebrows about Bessie’s bedroom acrobatics. “It’s not like it’s a secret with her story. She was just free.”
And even the slightest dive into the promiscuity of the most acclaimed entertainer of the 1920s and ’30s will uncover Bessie’s laundry list of lady conquests during the Harlem Renaissance, back when Langston Hughes was penning The Weary Blues and traces of homosexuality were indiscriminately running rampant through black arts, safely and far enough under the radar of mainstream America. Culturally explosive, the 20-year period allowed for an acceptance of many hang-ups that, unfortunately, 21st century mainstream society still has issues with today.
“People’s ideas in general are antiquated when it comes to who you love,” Latifah says, echoing sentiments of Kerry Washington’s recent GLAAD Media Awards speech, which touched on black homophobia. “We haven’t moved as quickly as we probably should. And the reality is that there’s always been gay people in the black community, so it’s not foreign to us. And not just as a black community but just a society as a whole.
“Who you choose to marry is really up to you and it’s not something you should be judged on. I don’t find being gay or lesbian to be a character flaw. Couples should be protected under the laws of this country period. It actually angers me. It’s not unusual so let’s be adults and let’s move forward.”
What she said is true and it's why she hasn't come out yet. There have always been jokes about her, Mr C, Diddy, Alicia Keys, and Dr Dre (among a few others). But if any of them came "out" doing their prime, their careers would have been over.
