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It’s 2009, Does it Matter if Queen Latifah is Gay?

Tuesday Apr 7, 2009 – By Sky Obercam

jeanettejenkinsqueenlatdx7 Let’s be truthful. Queen Latifah’s sexuality is not necessarily one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets. The signs are all there: Her lack of male companions; her constant female companion; her not so subtle edge of masculinity. Need I continue? So, if we all are pretty certain that the Queen is a lesbian, it makes one wonder why she refuses to live out loud – so to speak.

Take yourself for example. Knowing what you ‘know’ about Queen Latifah, how would you respond if she pulled an Ellen and let everyone know what time it is? Would you respect and support her for keeping it real? Perhaps you may find yourself more comfortable in denial of her evident sexual preference. This is very well one of the main factors that prevent Queen Latifah, and other closeted celebs from living out loud. Public acceptance.

In our community, there seems to be a particularly harsh strain of homophobia, which sometimes even borders on paranoia. Homosexuality is just as prevalent among African Americans as it is among any group, but a very blatant homophobic philosophy seems to be embedded in our culture.

I once interviewed Terrance Dean, author of Hiding in Hip Hop and grilled him on the issue of the gay subculture in the entertainment world. According to Dean, “The gay sub-culture does exist…. And it’s unfortunate, because in the Black and Latino communities we’re not able to be fully self-expressive and authentic and expose ourselves and our sexuality like our white counterparts. Unfortunately in the Black community it is such a taboo and we don’t talk about sexuality. This could be why there’s such an epidemic of HIV and AIDS for Black women and the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. [We’re] so afraid to have that dialogue about sex, we become promiscuous. In this day and age, this leads to more [gay people] staying in the closet and afraid to come out.”

Thus, getting back the Queen, the term ignorance is bliss comes to mind. I’ll close by posing the following question:

Are we less at ease with her sexuality, or more comfortable with her omission of it?

Alison says:

April 7, 2009 at 3:07 pm

Queen totally came on to me backstage at a hiphop show back in the early ’90s, so…yeah, no mystery there. But maybe she just doesn’t feel like going through a bunch of public drama about it – you know Essence would do a cover story, and she’d have to be on Oprah talking aboutit, etc.

↑ Reply

Michelle Lewis says:

April 7, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Why should she have to say anything? Heterosexuals don’t ‘come-out’ so why do we place so much emphasis on homosexuals declaring themselves to the world, especially if they’re a celebrity?! Whomsoever the Queen has in her bedroom is no business of ours!

Alicia/InstantVintage says:

April 7, 2009 at 4:04 pm

What she does with her crotch on her own time is none of my business. Honestly, I don’t know why people care so much about what other people are doing with their sex lives.

keke says:

April 7, 2009 at 4:46 pm

Is she really denying her sexual preference or just not telling the whole world her business? For some reason ppl still have issues with homosexuality and maybe she does not want the media in her personal life.

To be honest, she is one of the few ppl in entertainment who has been able to keep what she does in her personal life relatively quiet. There are speculations and ppl pretty much know, but no one “really knows”…I think she likes it that way. I don’t like ppl in my business and I am not famous, so I can feel her wanting the public to respect her privacy.

Crazzi thiCk says:

April 7, 2009 at 7:00 pm

Personally I don’t care anymore for the celeb gossip, I mean I read about them but I’m not obsessed with forming long drawn out debates about them anymore.

It is her life! I think all people should say and do what they feel esspecially sexually (as long as you’re protecting yourself) but it is NOT my duty to make them do so… celeb or not.

either way, i will respect the Queen for her footprint in hip hop, her talent on the big & small screens, and for the decent singer she has become!

all that other stuff is just fluff!

*peaCe!

Ebony Intuition says:

April 7, 2009 at 8:24 pm

It’s nobody’s business.

Taron says:

April 8, 2009 at 10:59 am

I think Queen hasn’t come out for say, at least 3 reasons…here’s my best guess:

1) It actually just might be inconsequential to her; whether or not anyone knows, that is. Maybe she thinks that if you’re keen enough to detect ‘it’ then that’s good enough…she shouldn’t have to tell you. This would be kind of the “I’m not going to tell them but if they’re smart enough to find out, I’m ok with it” -kind of approach.

(?) or maybe,

2)It’s actually kind of played and cliche at this point in our popular culture to live 70% of your [public] life in the closet and come out in your later years with the expectation of sitting on Oprah’s couch, doing a book tour, Larry King Live, etc. to discuss the conventinal “coming out” story which we’ve all heard of by now. This story is a little tired at this point and Queen may not want to be another celebrity exploiting her sexuality in such a predictable model.

or how about,

3) She’s compeletely in denial about it (her apparent sexuality) and/or is really confused/angered/defensive/evasive about why people are inquiring about it. *This seems like the least plausible attitude for her to have, but… STRANGER things have happened. There are quite a few people that fit this category of thought-famous and un-famous (think about the Clay Aikens of the ‘world’ and other people you’ve known who were truly and obviously NOT STRAIGHT but who would “deny, deny, deny” until the end).

I’m not sure which one of these three hypothetical categories she is espoused to but I think the 3rd would be the most disappointing and shameful of them all. Only because it would certainly indicate a mild psychosis or paranoia to think in 2009 that we (her fans & the public) are off-base in our suspicions. And yes, it would be ‘played’ to come out in the same old tired fashion only to get more publicity and make $ off of it. I think whatever her reasons, the black community especially NEEDS a brand new/slap in the face GAY ROLE MODELs & EXAMPLES. We are legions behind our white American counterparts when it comes to living down homophobia, gay rights and all. For Blacks, 1st, just ACKNOWLEDGING to ourselves, young and old, that SOME PEOPLE ARE GAY and getting over it is impossible (?!?). Queen Latifah acknowledging that about herself would at least help our repressed and cowardly mentality.

Renee says:

April 8, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Accomplish Everything Without Fear…I absolute love you La!!!!

Mimi says:

April 9, 2009 at 12:02 am

The only reason I’d need to KNOW is so I can try to get at her. Real talk…

deb says:

April 9, 2009 at 5:58 am

Who cares? I love her as a rap artist and actress. My motto is “You like it, I love it!”

Spinster says:

April 11, 2009 at 8:11 pm

She might as well come all the wasy out of the closet. No love lost here; she’s very talented and a great person in general.

DJP says:

April 13, 2009 at 8:42 am

Personally, I think if anyone would have a problem with her “coming out”, it would be the non-minority dominated entertainment industry. Has there ever been a gay, beautiful, voluptuous, black woman? I don’t know if the industry would pull an Ellen…

Sorry, to break it to you, but most African-Americans have already resolved to the fact that Queen is probably gay, I just don’t think that her African-American fan base cares anymore. I’ve met her on numerous occasions, even partied with her and her “friend” before (Hollywierd is random), she is comfortable with herself and attempts to hide nothing. I loves the mens, but I’ve never made a press release about that. Sorry to bust your bubble but Queen has never been in hiding, she just don’t want you all all up in her business.

1HOTLEX says:

April 13, 2009 at 8:45 am

THIS ARTICLE HIT ON SOME VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS. SOMETIMES, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE A COUNTRY BASED ON FREEDOM YET WE ARE SO QUICK TO CRITIZE AND JUDGE OTHERS. ULTIMATELY, IT IS HER LIFE. IF THATS WHAT SHE WANTS THEN SO BE IT. WE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE SO HARD ON ONE ANOTHER. YOU KNOW ITS SAD WHEN WE WOULD RATHER WORK OR BE AROUND OTHER CULTURES THEN OUR OWN. WHY CAN’T WE JUST COME TOGETHER AND ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER? WE WOULD BE SUCH A STRONG/POWERFUL RACE. YET, WE CONTINUE TO KEEP EACH OTHER DOWN AND HATE ON ONE ANOTHER. ITS SAD…BUT TRUE. HOPEFULLY, NOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT THIS WILL INSPIRE US TO PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND EMBRACE ON ANOTHER.

Pompeii says:

June 11, 2009 at 11:22 am

Question, Why is it that if our communities frown on “gay life” they are automatically “homophobic”? Is there no room for people who believe in traditional families or lifestyles? Or do they all have a “phobia” and need to be “enlightened”? I am afraid that we have become as close minded in our liberalism as the conservatives that we have always fought against.
I don’t care what consenting adults do in private. I am not gay and wanting my son to have a traditional family is not homophobic. It is how you get grandchildren, carry on a family name, etc. or is none of that important anymore?
I believe we should live and let live, but not everyone who opposes gay issues are homophobic.

KiKi says:

June 23, 2009 at 5:08 am

Do you get the feeling that she’s gay? I do, but that’s just my opinion. I really don’t think she’s going to come out because of Cover Girl, and any upcoming movie roles she might me offered. Her perfect image would be tarnished.