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ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-normal--s54Wf ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-text--QmNJR ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-sendary--WRADg ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ ontend-pencraft-Text-module__body4--Pl3xY">Other</div></button></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="post-hear"><h1 class="post-tle unpublished">Queen Latifah: Anatomy of a Lbian In</h1><h3 class="subtle">On Heists and Sgg the Blu</h3><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-bottom-16--KVxKv"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-16--ohCEm"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt 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ontend-rear2-ProfileAndPublitnHoverCard-module__profileHoverCardTarget--Od_YL"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexAuto--CnX9I ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" /><img src=" siz="100vw" alt style="z-x: 1;" width="80" class="ontend-ponents-rponsive_img-module__img--Pgjj2 facepile-face ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__face--uAQkp ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__size-40--pH6IT ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__first--TZamh ontend-ponents-Facepile-module__last--DT3p3" /></picture></a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-11--k1e8b ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-medium--x7khA ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-meta--U_nxy ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-pub-primary-text--RzL7j ontend-pencraft-Text-module__transform-upperse--IDkUL ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ ontend-pencraft-Text-module__meta--jzHdd"><div class="profile-hover-rd-target ontend-rear2-ProfileAndPublitnHoverCard-module__profileHoverCardTarget--Od_YL"><a href=" class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ratn-hover-unrle--BEYAn ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ">Kira Dhler</a></div></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-4--zeW5_"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-11--k1e8b ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-medium--x7khA ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-meta--U_nxy 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wh-borr"><svg role="img" style="height: 20px; width: 20px;" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="#000000" stroke-width="2" stroke="#000" xmlns=" class="in"><g><tle></tle><svg xmlns=" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-heart"><path d="M19 14c1.49-1.46 3-3.21 3-5.5A5.5 5.5 0 0 0 16.5 3c-1.76 0-3 .5-4.5 2-1.5-1.5-2.74-2-4.5-2A5.5 5.5 0 0 0 2 8.5c0 2.3 1.5 4.05 3 5.5l7 7Z"></path></svg></g></svg><div class="label">4</div></a><div ert role="dialog" class="modal typography out gone share-dialog popup"><div class="modal-table"><div class="modal-row"><div class="modal-cell modal-ntent no-fullscreen"><div class="ntaer"><button tabInx="0" type="button" data-ttid="close-modal" class="pencraft modal-btn modal-ex-btn no-marg ontend-pencraft-Button-module__inButton--xpBoH ontend-pencraft-Button-module__buttonBase--T0hXz ontend-pencraft-Button-module__size_40--RASvV 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ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-radi-12--AmQy9 social-preview-box post"><div class="social-image-box"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" /><img src=" siz="100vw" alt loadg="lazy" width="120" class="ontend-ponents-rponsive_img-module__img--Pgjj2 social-image" /></picture></div><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-directn-lumn--Rq7pk ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-8--exiCC ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-left-12--eE6bp"><h4 class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__size-16--fFowu ontend-pencraft-Text-module__le-height-20--p0dP8 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__weight-bold--Ps9DB ontend-pencraft-Text-module__font-text--QmNJR ontend-pencraft-Text-module__lor-primary--ud4Z0 ontend-pencraft-Text-module__ret--dW0zZ">Queen Latifah: Anatomy of a Lbian In</h4><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 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class="available-ntent"><div dir="to" class="body markup"><p><em><span>This is the Sunday Edn of</span><strong> Pagg Dr. Lbian. </strong><span>If you like this type of thg, </span><a href=" rel>subscribe</a><span>!</span></em></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="800" height="329" data-attrs="{"src":" Set It Off 1996","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":te,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="BlueisKewl: Set It Off 1996" tle="BlueisKewl: Set It Off 1996" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" fetchprry="high" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>Queen Latifah – born Dana Owens Newark, New Jersey – has long been nsired a lbian or queer in, spe (until recently) never nfirmg that she herself is queer. For much of Latifah’s long, varied reer ( mic, film, and televisn) she has remaed rolutely vague about her personal life, while at the same time playg a number of inic queer rol and twice as many straight on. Ined, one of the reasons I wanted to clu Latifah this “Anatomy of a Lbian In” seri is bee of how she differs om some of the other ins I’ve mentned – those who are beloved part bee of their lorful queer datg history (Kristen Stewart, Cara Delevigne) or those who are ostensibly straight but play queer rol (</span><a href=" rel>Rachel Weisz</a><span>, </span><a href=" rel>Cate Blanchett</a><span>). </span></p><p><span>It has long been mored that Latifah is queer – om </span><a href=" rel>paparazzi shots</a><span> of her wh women to the time she referred to Pri atten as “</span><a href=" rel>her people</a><span>” – but wasn’t until this year’s BET awards, durg which she accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award, that such speculatn was more explicly nfirmed. Durg her </span><a href=" rel>speech</a><span>, Latifah thanked “Eboni, my love. Rebel, my love,” her mored partner and the son they share together. Though Latifah has not ma any more statements sce then, her speech nfirmed what had long been spected, if not already known, as Latifah was clearly ready to share that rmatn on her own terms. </span></p><p><span>Nohels, Latifah has been a queer in </span><em>long</em><span> before the awards this summer. Though she has been “ambiguo” about her sexualy for some time, has never dimished her legend. How then, do we read Latifah’s in stat wh this ntext md? Do matter that she has never really “officially” e out? The answer, I would argue, is no. </span></p><div id="youtube2-8Qimg_q7LbQ" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{"vioId":"8Qimg_q7LbQ","startTime":null,"endTime":null}" data-ponent-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-ner"><iame src=" ameborr="0" loadg="lazy" gture="media" allow="toplay; fullscreen" allowtoplay="te" allowfullscreen="te" width="728" height="409"></iame></div></div><p><span>In many ways, Latifah’s reer speaks for self. In 1989, at the age of 19, Queen Latifah released her but album </span><em>All Hail The Queen</em><span>, which featured the h sgle “Ladi First.” Latifah would go on to release four more rap albums along wh two jazz albums and bee the first female rapper to be nomated for an Osr. </span></p><p><span>Latifah’s first actg role was a small part Spike Lee’s 1991 film </span><em>Jungle Fever</em><span>, but her biggt role me 1993 when she played Khadijah on the s </span><em>Livg Sgle. </em><span>Though Khadijah was certaly wrten as heterosexual and had plenty of romantic prospects the show, she was also very foced on her reer and never lowered herself for a man, embodyg the same type of strength and nfince as Latifah-the-rapper. Ined, Khadijah’s masc-of-center style and the way the character often overlapped wh Latifah’s own persona – such as the episo</span><div class="footnote-hoverrd-target"><a class="footnote-anchor" data-ponent-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1-39614336" href=" rel>1</a></div><span> where the mic vio for Latifah’s </span><a href=" rel>U.N.I.T.Y.</a><span> plays at the end – make the text a particularly rich one. (Latifah even wrote and performed the show’s </span><a href=" rel>theme song</a><span>). </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="836" height="627" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Latifah as Khadijah Jam </span><em>Livg Sgle.</em></figptn></figure></div><p><span>Moreover, </span><em>Livg Sgle</em><span> self was fairly progrsive s views on queer issu for the time. One </span><a href=" rel>episo</a><div class="footnote-hoverrd-target"><a class="footnote-anchor" data-ponent-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-2-39614336" href=" rel>2</a></div><span>, which aired 1996, even featured a soon-to-be-married lbian uple who were actually supported by the ma st (by Latifah’s Khadijah perhaps most of all). Though none of the ma characters were actually queer, the show nohels had queer appeal. Lter Fabian Brathwae </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span> that “s four female protagonists didn’t simply have queer sensibili but also queer-intifyg markers that, to queer dienc of lor, were like manna om heaven ’90s televisn’s otherwise arid sert of reprentatn.”</span></p><p><span>Latifah’s first explicly queer role me 1996 when she starred as Cleo F. Gary Gray’s </span><em>Set It Off. </em><span>The film – which also stars Jada Pkett Smh, Vivi A. Fox and Kimberly Elise – follows a group of women who ci to rob a bank after an act of police btaly and a horrific enunter wh CPS. Latifah’s Cleo is a brash, nfint butch lbian (also known as a “stud” black lbian parlance) who up wh the ial ia of the heist. Though (spoiler alert) Cleo do not make out the end, she go out a blaze of glory, refg to give to the system that is out to get her. </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="1200" height="515" data-attrs="{"src":" Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":te,"topImage":false,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="Strong Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;" tle="Strong Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Cleo and her girliend Ursula (Samantha MacLachlan) </span><em>Set It Off.</em></figptn></figure></div><p><span>As Carmen Phillips </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span> Autostraddle, Cleo was a revelatn to black queer women, and no one else but Latifah uld have done the role jtice. “Young, mighty, unadulterated, sweet to her iends, sexy the way that only studs n be — an energy that radiat beneath the por and melan; the quiet, toxitg nfince that om tly owng your sh. It’s almost too perfect that they st the Queen, bee she tly se Cleo’s royalty.” Though Latifah has </span><a href=" rel>spoken about</a><span> her ial hatn takg the role – maly bee she didn’t want her fay members takg flack for – she nohels remaed steadfast her mment to portrayg Cleo all her black, queer, glory.</span></p><p><span>Another important role for Latifah was 2015’s </span><em>Bsie</em><span>, which she played queer blu in Bsie Smh. The HBO film is directed by Dee Re, a black lbian who also directed the excellent lbian film </span><em>Pariah</em><span>. </span><em>Bsie </em><span>is explic s pictn of Smh’s queerns, and Latifah plays the role wh gutsy strength. (Mo’Nique’s wonrful portrayal of queer matriarch Ma Raey is also noteworthy). As Phillips </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span>, the film is a “stunng ttimonial to black queer women artists who live — and die — by their own fiant l.” In her rearch for the film, Re looked to scholarship about the era, such as Angela Davis’ semal </span><em>Blu Legaci and Black Femism. </em><span>Latifah too did extensive rearch orr to hab the part, once </span><a href=" rel>notg</a><span>, “I’ve seen so many thgs Bsie’s life that really mirrored me.” Though Latifah did not fact “e out” followg the release of this movie, her and Re’ mment to the film and the queer history unvers is admirable, and tellg. </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="743" height="511" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Latifah and Tika Sumpter </span><em>Bsie</em><span>.</span></figptn></figure></div><p><span>Latifah has played other queer rol her reer, such as Mama Morton </span><em>Chigo</em><span> and Hattie McDaniel Ryan Murphy’s </span><em>Hollywood</em><span>, as well as a particularly queer productn of the mil </span><em>The Wiz. </em><span>Beyond this, Latifah’s reer has been imprsively expansive. She has been a hugely impactful figure the world of rom-s wh rol films such as ​</span><em>Brgg Down the Hoe</em><span> (2003), </span><em>Bety Shop</em><span> (2005), </span><em>Last Holiday</em><span> (2006), and </span><em>Jt Wright</em><span> (2010), and as </span><a href=" rel>Cate Young not</a><span> Bch, “Latifah has repeatedly monstrated that pl-size Black women n and do fd love onscreen.” Latifah also had her own talk show – The Queen Latifah Show – and has starred numero mils, such as the aforementned </span><em>Chigo</em><span> and the 2007 remake of </span><em>Hairspray</em><span>. </span></p><p><span>Dpe this remarkably imprsive reer, mentators have long been nfed by Latifah’s stat as a (queer) cultural in, and she has equently been spoken about a nscendg manner the prs. As one mentator wrote on </span><a href=" rel>Medium</a><span>, “Latifah's public profile exists somewhere between gay ally and actual gay.” In an oft-quoted New York Tim profile om 2008, Latifah rightfully and eloquently mataed her right to privacy after beg asked about her sexualy once aga, assertg that </span><strong>“You don’t get that part of gets that. I don’t feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don’t re if people thk I’m gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do anyway.”</strong></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="1456" height="963" data-attrs="{"src":" Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":te,"topImage":false,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="Queen Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard" tle="Queen Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn">Latifah at the BET Awards June.</figptn></figure></div><p>But do really matter whether Latifah has nfirmed or nied her sexual orientatn? Apparently, do, acrdg to cultural crics who largely ignore Latifah when discsg the leage of queer female rap, or that of queer media more broadly. This, I thk, is wrong. Though Latifah’s apparent evasn about her personal life might appear to make her own sexualy ambiguo, her formidable prence as a black woman Hollywood has never been anythg but dac. Her rince pop culture – particularly through her credible and fluential rap reer – has always been unequivol, nontatnal even. </p><p><span>As scholar Lren Herold </span><a href=" rel>puts </a><span>, “whether or not Queen Latifah ever discs her sexualy a public way, she is not “hidg” her ditn to LGBTQ muni and Black queer history.” Dpe never publicly “g out,” Latifah has nsistently and steadfastly supported the queer muny through her film, televisn, and mil projects, begng back the 1990s when was cidly ls popular (and ls profable) to do so. This support has never been ambiguo, and Latifah has served a place the queer hall of fame long before she stood on that stage June. </span></p><div data-ponent-name="SubscribeWidget" class="subscribe-widget"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-center--SQPji"><div class="ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__ntaer--OfBh4"><form actn="/api/v1/ee?nojs=te" method="post" noValidate class="form ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__form--LDIzl"><put type="hidn" name="first_url" /><put type="hidn" name="first_referrer" /><put type="hidn" name="current_url" /><put type="hidn" name="current_referrer" /><put type="hidn" name="referral_" /><put type="hidn" name="source" value="subscribe-widget" /><put type="hidn" name="referrg_pub_id" /><put type="hidn" name="addnal_referrg_pub_ids" /><div class="ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__siBySiWrap--yhsgv"><put type="email" name="email" placeholr="Type your email..." class="pencraft ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__emailInput--BLQGf" /><button tabInx="0" type="subm" class="button rightButton primary subscribe-btn ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__button--WcLG9"><span class="button-text ">Subscribe</span></button></div><div id="error-ntaer"></div><div class="subtle-help-text below-put ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__lks--G_QlQ"></div></form><div class="ontend-log-typo_handler-EmailTypoHandler-module__animatnWrapper--UT0du"></div></div></div></div><div class="footnote" data-ponent-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1-39614336" href=" class="footnote-number" ntentedable="false" rel>1</a><div class="footnote-ntent"><p>Season 1 Episo 23, “Five Card Stud”</p></div></div><div class="footnote" data-ponent-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-2-39614336" href=" class="footnote-number" ntentedable="false" rel>2</a><div class="footnote-ntent"><p>Season 3 Episo 22, “Woman to Woman”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="visibily-check"></div><div class="post-footer"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexGrow--mx4xz ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-space-between--NvIcg ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-16--TpblU ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-16--ohCEm ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-top-tail-themed--e17yZ ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-bottom-tail-themed--eVwFY post-ufi"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-8--HFpIK"><div class="like-button-ntaer post-ufi-button style-button"><a role="button" class="post-ufi-button style-button has-label wh-borr"><svg role="img" style="height: 20px; width: 20px;" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="#000000" stroke-width="2" stroke="#000" xmlns=" class="in"><g><tle>

is dana owens gay

In an terview wh Uptown Magaze , the 45-year-old actrs and TV host discsed how difficult is for black gay women, but stopped short of cludg herself that tegory

Contents:

QUEEN LATIFAH FALLY ADMS TO BEG GAY?

Throughout the years, the New Jersey-born mician-turned-Goln Globe wner has refed to nfirm or ny spicns of her homosexualy. “I don’t have a problem discsg the topic of somebody beg gay, but I do have a problem discsg my personal life, ” Latifah sisted durg an terview wh the New York Tim 2008.

“I don’t feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don’t re if people thk I’m gay or not. The Seventi saw many women's rights, gay rights, and environmental movements.

QUEEN {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}QUEEN LATIFAH IS A GRAMMY AWARD-WNG RAPPER, RERD PRODUCER AND ACTRS, KNOWN FOR HER ROL THE BIG-SCREEN ADAPTATN OF 'CHIGO' AND THE TV FILM 'BSIE.'{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAR 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: J. VPA/{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1970-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS QUEEN LATIFAH?MICIAN AND ACTRS QUEEN LATIFAH'S BUT HIP-HOP ALBUM, ALL HAIL TO THE QUEEN, SOLD MORE THAN 1 LN PI, AND THE SGLE "U.N.I.T.Y." EARNED LATIFAH HER FIRST GRAMMY AWARD 1995. LATIFAH HAS ALSO GARNERED ACCLAIM FOR ACTG, EARNG HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR HER PERFORMANCE THE 2002 BLOCKBTER MIL CHIGO, AND AN EMMY NOD FOR HER PORTRAYAL OF BLU SGER {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BSIE SMH THE 2015 FILM BSIE.EARLY LIFEQUEEN LATIFAH WAS BORN DANA ELAE OWENS ON MARCH 18, 1970, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. THE SEND CHILD OF LANCE AND RA OWENS, LATIFAH IS BT KNOWN FOR HER SOCIAL POLICS, ACTG SKILLS AND GIFT FOR RHYME. WHEN SHE WAS 8 YEARS OLD, A MLIM GAVE HER THE NICKNAME LATIFAH, MEANG "LITE AND SENSIVE" ARABIC. LATIFAH BEGAN SGG THE CHOIR OF SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND HAD HER FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE WHEN SHE SANG A VERSN OF "HOME" AS ONE OF THE TWO DOROTHYS A PRODUCTN OF THE WIZARD OF OZ AT ST. ANNE'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL.IN HER FIRST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, LATIFAH BEGAN RMAL SGG AND RAPPG THE RTROOMS AND LOCKER ROOMS. IN HER JUNR YEAR, SHE FORMED A RAP GROUP, LADI FRH, WH HER IENDS TANGY B AND LANDY D RPONSE TO THE FORMATN OF ANOTHER YOUNG WOMEN'S GROUP. SOON THE GROUP WAS MAKG APPEARANC WHEREVER THEY ULD. LATIFAH'S MOTHER WAS A TALYST; SHE WAS TOUCH WH THE STUNTS AND THE MIC. SHE VED MARK JAM, A LOL DISC JOCKEY KNOWN AS D.J. MARK THE 45 KG, TO APPEAR AT A SCHOOL DANCE. THE BASEMENT OF JAM'S PARENTS' HOE EAST ORANGE, EQUIPPED WH ELECTRONIC AND RERDG EQUIPMENT, BEME THE HANGOUT OF LATIFAH AND HER IENDS, WHO LLED THEMSELV THE "FLAVOR UN."ALBUMS AND SONGS'WRATH OF MY MADNS,' 'ALL HAIL TO THE QUEEN'JAM, WHO WAS BEGNG A REER AS A PRODUCER, GAVE A MO RERD OF QUEEN LATIFAH'S RAP PRCS OF THE POSSE TO THE HOST OF YO! MTV RAPS, FRED BRAHWAE (PROFSNALLY KNOWN AS "FAB 5 FREDDY"). THE RERDG PTURED THE ATTENTN OF TOMMY BOY MIC EMPLOYEE DANTE ROSS, AND 1988 THE LABEL ISSUED HER FIRST SGLE, "WRATH OF MY MADNS." THE TRACK MET WH A POSIVE RPONSE, AFFORDG LATIFAH THE OPPORTUNY TO LNCH A EUROPEAN TOUR AND TO PERFORM AT HARLEM'S FAMED APOLLO THEATER. THE NEXT YEAR, LATIFAH RELEASED HER FIRST ALBUM, ALL HAIL TO THE QUEEN, WHICH WENT ON TO SELL MORE THAN 1 LN PI.'NATURE OF A SISTA'' AND MANAGEMENTTHE ARTIST FOLLOWED 1991 WH NATURE OF A SISTA', FEATURG THE SGL "FLY GIRL," "HOW DO I LOVE THEE" AND "LATIFAH'S HAD IT UP 2 HERE." MEANWHILE, SHE DISPLAYED AN TERT VTMENT, PUTTG MONEY TO A LITSEN AND A VIO STORE. REALIZG THAT THERE WAS AN OPENG FOR HER RERD PRODUCTN, LATIFAH ANIZED AND BEME CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE FLAVOR UN RERDS AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY, HEADQUARTERED JERSEY CY, NEW JERSEY. BY LATE 1993, THE PANY HAD SIGNED 17 RAP GROUPS, CLUDG THE VERY SUCCSFUL NGHTY BY NATURE.'BLACK REIGN,' GRAMMY FOR 'U.N.I.T.Y.,' 'ORR THE COURT'IN 1993, LATIFAH RERD A JAZZ- AND REGGAE-FLUENCED ALBUM TLED BLACK REIGN. IT SOLD MORE THAN 500,000 PI, WHILE THE TCHY SGLE "U.N.I.T.Y." EARNED LATIFAH HER FIRST GRAMMY AWARD 1995. SHE FOLLOWED 1998 WH HER FOURTH STUD EFFORT, ORR THE COURT, WHICH WAS NOTABLE FOR BEG HER FIRST ALBUM TO SPORT A PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNG FOR EXPLIC LYRICS.'THE DANA OWENS ALBUM,' 'TRAV'L' LIGHT,' 'PERSONA'LATIFAH BRANCHED OUT OM HIP HOP TO SHOW HER RANGE AS A SGER WH THE DANA OWENS ALBUM (2004), WHICH CLIMBED TO NO. 16 ON THE BILLBOARD 200 AND EARNED A GRAMMY NOMATN FOR BT JAZZ VOL ALBUM. TRAV'L LIGHT (2007) FARED EVEN BETTER ON THE POP CHARTS AND EARNED A GRAMMY FOR STMENTAL ARRANGEMENT. LATIFAH THEN RETURNED TO HER RAP ROOTS WH PERSONA (2009), THOUGH THE ALBUM DREW A MIXED RPONSE OM CRICS.FILM, TV & STAGE'JUNGLE FEVER,' 'JUICE,' 'LIVG SGLE'TURNG TO ACTG, LATIFAH MA HER BIG-SCREEN BUT SPIKE LEE'S TERRACIAL ROMANCE DRAMA JUNGLE FEVER (1991). THE FOLLOWG YEAR, SHE APPEARED THE CRIME THRILLER JUICE, WH OMAR EPPS AND TUPAC SHAKUR. LATIFAH SOON LAND A LEADG ROLE ON THE SMALL SCREEN, APPEARG THE S LIVG SGLE OM 1993 TO '98. THE EDY, WHICH ALSO STARRED KIM COL, KIM FIELDS AND ERIKA ALEXANR, PROVED TO BE A GROUNDBREAKG SHOW. IT REMAS ONE OF THE FEW SS TO FOC ON A GROUP OF AIN-AMERIN WOMEN.'SET IT OFF,' 'LIVG OUT LOUD,' 'THE BONE COLLECTOR'A TALENTED PERFORMER, LATIFAH NTUED TO TACKLE BOTH EDIC AND DRAMATIC PARTS. SHE -STARRED 1996'S SET IT OFF, WH JADA PKETT SMH AND VIVI A. FOX, PLAYG A LBIAN BANK ROBBER. TWO YEARS LATER, LATIFAH TEAMED UP WH HOLLY HUNTER AND DANNY DEVO FOR THE EDY LIVG OUT LOUD. SHE ALSO APPEARED WH DENZEL WASHGTON AND ANGELA JOLIE THE BONE COLLECTOR (1999).OSR NOMATN FOR 'CHIGO'PERHAPS LATIFAH'S MOST ACCLAIMED FILM ROLE TO DATE ME THE 2002 H MIL CHIGO, STARRG RICHARD GERE, CATHERE ZETA-JON AND RENEE ZELLWEGER. HER PORTRAYAL OF PRISON MATRON MAMA MORTON GAVE HER A CHANCE TO SHOW OFF BOTH HER SGG TALENTS AND ACTG SKILLS. FOR HER WORK THE FILM, LATIFAH EARNED AN AMY AWARD NOMATN FOR BT SUPPORTG ACTRS.'BRGG DOWN THE HOE,' 'BETY SHOP,' 'ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN'LATIFAH WENT ON TO RECEIVE STRONG REVIEWS FOR 2003'S ROMANTIC EDY BRGG DOWN THE HOE, ALONGSI STEVE MART. THE FOLLOWG YEAR, SHE EXPERIENCED SOME DISAPPOTMENT WH TAXI, WHICH -STARRED JIMMY FALLON. BUT SHE FARED BETTER WH BETY SHOP (2005) AND HER VOICEOVER WORK THE H ANIMATED FILM ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN (2006).'HAIRSPRAY,' 'THE SECRET LIFE OF BE,' 'STEEL MAGNOLIAS'IN 2007, QUEEN LATIFAH AGA LIGHTED MOVIE-GOERS WH HER MIL TALENTS BY APPEARG AS MOTORMOUTH MAYBELLE HAIRSPRAY, WH JOHN TRAVOLTA. HER CRIME PER MAD MONEY (2008), WH DIANE KEATON AND KATIE HOLM, RECEIVED A LR RECEPTN. RETURNG TO DRAMA, LATIFAH GAVE A STRONG PERFORMANCE THE SECRET LIFE OF BE (2008). SHE ALSO APPEARED ON SHOWS LIKE 30 ROCK AND SGLE LADI AROUND THIS TIME, AND WENT ON TO -STAR THE 2012 TV REMAKE OF STEEL MAGNOLIAS, WH ALE WOODARD, PHYLICIA RASHAD AND JILL STT.TALK SHOW, 'BSIE,' 'THE WIZ LIVE!'HAVG HOSTED A DAYTIME TALK SHOW OM 1999 TO 2001, THE ENTERTAER SOUGHT TO TABLISH ANOTHER VERSN OF THE QUEEN LATIFAH SHOW THE FALL OF 2013. ALTHOUGH THE SHOW WAS NCELED EARLY 2015, LATIFAH BOUNCED BACK WH A WILY PRAISED PORTRAYAL OF LEGENDARY SGER BSIE SMH HBO'S BSIE, GARNERG EMMY AND GOLN GLOBE NOMATNS FOR HER WORK. LATE THAT YEAR, SHE PLAYED THE WIZ THE NBC PRODUCTN OF THE MIL THE WIZ LIVE!'STAR,' 'GIRLS TRIP,' 'FLT'AFTER -STARRG WH JENNIFER GARNER THE 2016 FAY DRAMA MIRACL OM HEAVEN, LATIFAH TOOK ON A LEADG ROLE THE FOX MIL DRAMA STAR, WHICH AIRED FOR THREE SEASONS. THE FOLLOWG YEAR, LATIFAH JOED THE ENSEMBLE ST OF THE RNCHY EDY GIRLS TRIP, WHICH PROVED A H WH FANS. SHE ALSO TOOK ON A WEIGHTIER ROLE THE LIFETIME DRAMA FLT, ABOUT THE WATER CRISIS THE MICHIGAN CY, FOR WHICH SHE RECEIVED AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDG ACTRS. IN NOVEMBER 2019, LATIFAH RURFACED ABC'S THE LTLE MERMAID LIVE!, HER PERFORMANCE AS URSULA DRAWG PRAISE AS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRODUCTN.SPOKPERSON AND PERSONAL LIFEIN ADDN TO ACTG, QUEEN LATIFAH HAS SERVED AS A SPOKPERSON FOR COVERGIRL SMETICS. SHE EVEN HAS HER OWN LE WH THE PANY: THE QUEEN COLLECTN.LATIFAH'S SEXUALY HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MORS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE QUEEN REF TO LVE TO SUCH PRIVATE MATTERS. "I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM DISCSG THE TOPIC OF SOMEBODY BEG GAY, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM DISCSG MY PERSONAL LIFE," SHE TOLD THE NEW YORK TIM 2008. "I DON’T RE IF PEOPLE THK I’M GAY OR NOT. ASSUME WHATEVER YOU WANT. YOU DO ANYWAY."IN MARCH 2018, LATIFAH NFIRMED THE ATH OF HER MOTHER, FOLLOWG A LONG BATTLE WH A HEART {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

As one mentator wrote on Medium, “Latifah's public profile exists somewhere between gay ally and actual gay. I don’t feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don’t re if people thk I’m gay or not. It’s beg reported by that Actrs, Rapper and Maybelle Make-Up spokwoman, Queen Latifah has nfirmed the long held mors that she is fact gay.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* IS DANA OWENS GAY

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class="available-ntent"><div dir="to" class="body markup"><p><em><span>This is the Sunday Edn of</span><strong> Pagg Dr. Lbian. </strong><span>If you like this type of thg, </span><a href=" rel>subscribe</a><span>!</span></em></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="800" height="329" data-attrs="{"src":" Set It Off 1996","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":te,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="BlueisKewl: Set It Off 1996" tle="BlueisKewl: Set It Off 1996" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" fetchprry="high" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p><span>Queen Latifah – born Dana Owens Newark, New Jersey – has long been nsired a lbian or queer in, spe (until recently) never nfirmg that she herself is queer. For much of Latifah’s long, varied reer ( mic, film, and televisn) she has remaed rolutely vague about her personal life, while at the same time playg a number of inic queer rol and twice as many straight on. Ined, one of the reasons I wanted to clu Latifah this “Anatomy of a Lbian In” seri is bee of how she differs om some of the other ins I’ve mentned – those who are beloved part bee of their lorful queer datg history (Kristen Stewart, Cara Delevigne) or those who are ostensibly straight but play queer rol (</span><a href=" rel>Rachel Weisz</a><span>, </span><a href=" rel>Cate Blanchett</a><span>). </span></p><p><span>It has long been mored that Latifah is queer – om </span><a href=" rel>paparazzi shots</a><span> of her wh women to the time she referred to Pri atten as “</span><a href=" rel>her people</a><span>” – but wasn’t until this year’s BET awards, durg which she accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award, that such speculatn was more explicly nfirmed. Durg her </span><a href=" rel>speech</a><span>, Latifah thanked “Eboni, my love. Rebel, my love,” her mored partner and the son they share together. Though Latifah has not ma any more statements sce then, her speech nfirmed what had long been spected, if not already known, as Latifah was clearly ready to share that rmatn on her own terms. </span></p><p><span>Nohels, Latifah has been a queer in </span><em>long</em><span> before the awards this summer. Though she has been “ambiguo” about her sexualy for some time, has never dimished her legend. How then, do we read Latifah’s in stat wh this ntext md? Do matter that she has never really “officially” e out? The answer, I would argue, is no. </span></p><div id="youtube2-8Qimg_q7LbQ" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{"vioId":"8Qimg_q7LbQ","startTime":null,"endTime":null}" data-ponent-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-ner"><iame src=" ameborr="0" loadg="lazy" gture="media" allow="toplay; fullscreen" allowtoplay="te" allowfullscreen="te" width="728" height="409"></iame></div></div><p><span>In many ways, Latifah’s reer speaks for self. In 1989, at the age of 19, Queen Latifah released her but album </span><em>All Hail The Queen</em><span>, which featured the h sgle “Ladi First.” Latifah would go on to release four more rap albums along wh two jazz albums and bee the first female rapper to be nomated for an Osr. </span></p><p><span>Latifah’s first actg role was a small part Spike Lee’s 1991 film </span><em>Jungle Fever</em><span>, but her biggt role me 1993 when she played Khadijah on the s </span><em>Livg Sgle. </em><span>Though Khadijah was certaly wrten as heterosexual and had plenty of romantic prospects the show, she was also very foced on her reer and never lowered herself for a man, embodyg the same type of strength and nfince as Latifah-the-rapper. Ined, Khadijah’s masc-of-center style and the way the character often overlapped wh Latifah’s own persona – such as the episo</span><div class="footnote-hoverrd-target"><a class="footnote-anchor" data-ponent-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-1-39614336" href=" rel>1</a></div><span> where the mic vio for Latifah’s </span><a href=" rel>U.N.I.T.Y.</a><span> plays at the end – make the text a particularly rich one. (Latifah even wrote and performed the show’s </span><a href=" rel>theme song</a><span>). </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="836" height="627" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Latifah as Khadijah Jam </span><em>Livg Sgle.</em></figptn></figure></div><p><span>Moreover, </span><em>Livg Sgle</em><span> self was fairly progrsive s views on queer issu for the time. One </span><a href=" rel>episo</a><div class="footnote-hoverrd-target"><a class="footnote-anchor" data-ponent-name="FootnoteAnchorToDOM" id="footnote-anchor-2-39614336" href=" rel>2</a></div><span>, which aired 1996, even featured a soon-to-be-married lbian uple who were actually supported by the ma st (by Latifah’s Khadijah perhaps most of all). Though none of the ma characters were actually queer, the show nohels had queer appeal. Lter Fabian Brathwae </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span> that “s four female protagonists didn’t simply have queer sensibili but also queer-intifyg markers that, to queer dienc of lor, were like manna om heaven ’90s televisn’s otherwise arid sert of reprentatn.”</span></p><p><span>Latifah’s first explicly queer role me 1996 when she starred as Cleo F. Gary Gray’s </span><em>Set It Off. </em><span>The film – which also stars Jada Pkett Smh, Vivi A. Fox and Kimberly Elise – follows a group of women who ci to rob a bank after an act of police btaly and a horrific enunter wh CPS. Latifah’s Cleo is a brash, nfint butch lbian (also known as a “stud” black lbian parlance) who up wh the ial ia of the heist. Though (spoiler alert) Cleo do not make out the end, she go out a blaze of glory, refg to give to the system that is out to get her. </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="1200" height="515" data-attrs="{"src":" Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":te,"topImage":false,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="Strong Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;" tle="Strong Black Lead on Twter: &quot;Listen!! If &#39;s not a Cleo and Ursula vibe, then I don&#39;t want ? #SetItOff… &quot;" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Cleo and her girliend Ursula (Samantha MacLachlan) </span><em>Set It Off.</em></figptn></figure></div><p><span>As Carmen Phillips </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span> Autostraddle, Cleo was a revelatn to black queer women, and no one else but Latifah uld have done the role jtice. “Young, mighty, unadulterated, sweet to her iends, sexy the way that only studs n be — an energy that radiat beneath the por and melan; the quiet, toxitg nfince that om tly owng your sh. It’s almost too perfect that they st the Queen, bee she tly se Cleo’s royalty.” Though Latifah has </span><a href=" rel>spoken about</a><span> her ial hatn takg the role – maly bee she didn’t want her fay members takg flack for – she nohels remaed steadfast her mment to portrayg Cleo all her black, queer, glory.</span></p><p><span>Another important role for Latifah was 2015’s </span><em>Bsie</em><span>, which she played queer blu in Bsie Smh. The HBO film is directed by Dee Re, a black lbian who also directed the excellent lbian film </span><em>Pariah</em><span>. </span><em>Bsie </em><span>is explic s pictn of Smh’s queerns, and Latifah plays the role wh gutsy strength. (Mo’Nique’s wonrful portrayal of queer matriarch Ma Raey is also noteworthy). As Phillips </span><a href=" rel>wr</a><span>, the film is a “stunng ttimonial to black queer women artists who live — and die — by their own fiant l.” In her rearch for the film, Re looked to scholarship about the era, such as Angela Davis’ semal </span><em>Blu Legaci and Black Femism. </em><span>Latifah too did extensive rearch orr to hab the part, once </span><a href=" rel>notg</a><span>, “I’ve seen so many thgs Bsie’s life that really mirrored me.” Though Latifah did not fact “e out” followg the release of this movie, her and Re’ mment to the film and the queer history unvers is admirable, and tellg. </span></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="743" height="511" data-attrs="{"src":"" class="sizg-normal" alt srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn"><span>Latifah and Tika Sumpter </span><em>Bsie</em><span>.</span></figptn></figure></div><p><span>Latifah has played other queer rol her reer, such as Mama Morton </span><em>Chigo</em><span> and Hattie McDaniel Ryan Murphy’s </span><em>Hollywood</em><span>, as well as a particularly queer productn of the mil </span><em>The Wiz. </em><span>Beyond this, Latifah’s reer has been imprsively expansive. She has been a hugely impactful figure the world of rom-s wh rol films such as ​</span><em>Brgg Down the Hoe</em><span> (2003), </span><em>Bety Shop</em><span> (2005), </span><em>Last Holiday</em><span> (2006), and </span><em>Jt Wright</em><span> (2010), and as </span><a href=" rel>Cate Young not</a><span> Bch, “Latifah has repeatedly monstrated that pl-size Black women n and do fd love onscreen.” Latifah also had her own talk show – The Queen Latifah Show – and has starred numero mils, such as the aforementned </span><em>Chigo</em><span> and the 2007 remake of </span><em>Hairspray</em><span>. </span></p><p><span>Dpe this remarkably imprsive reer, mentators have long been nfed by Latifah’s stat as a (queer) cultural in, and she has equently been spoken about a nscendg manner the prs. As one mentator wrote on </span><a href=" rel>Medium</a><span>, “Latifah's public profile exists somewhere between gay ally and actual gay.” In an oft-quoted New York Tim profile om 2008, Latifah rightfully and eloquently mataed her right to privacy after beg asked about her sexualy once aga, assertg that </span><strong>“You don’t get that part of gets that. I don’t feel like I need to share my personal life, and I don’t re if people thk I’m gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do anyway.”</strong></p><div class="ptned-image-ntaer"><figure><a class="image-lk is-viewable-img image2" target="_blank" href=" data-ponent-name="Image2ToDOM" rel><div class="image2-set"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" /><img src=" width="1456" height="963" data-attrs="{"src":" Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard","tle":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":te,"topImage":false,"ternalRedirect":null}" class="sizg-normal" alt="Queen Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard" tle="Queen Latifah Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at 2021 BET Awards | Billboard" srcset=" 424w, 848w, 1272w, 1456w" siz="100vw" loadg="lazy" /></picture><div class="image-lk-expand"><svg xmlns=" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="#FFFFFF" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round" class="luci luci-maximize2"><polyle pots="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyle><polyle pots="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyle><le x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></le><le x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></le></svg></div></div></a><figptn class="image-ptn">Latifah at the BET Awards June.</figptn></figure></div><p>But do really matter whether Latifah has nfirmed or nied her sexual orientatn? Apparently, do, acrdg to cultural crics who largely ignore Latifah when discsg the leage of queer female rap, or that of queer media more broadly. This, I thk, is wrong. Though Latifah’s apparent evasn about her personal life might appear to make her own sexualy ambiguo, her formidable prence as a black woman Hollywood has never been anythg but dac. Her rince pop culture – particularly through her credible and fluential rap reer – has always been unequivol, nontatnal even. </p><p><span>As scholar Lren Herold </span><a href=" rel>puts </a><span>, “whether or not Queen Latifah ever discs her sexualy a public way, she is not “hidg” her ditn to LGBTQ muni and Black queer history.” Dpe never publicly “g out,” Latifah has nsistently and steadfastly supported the queer muny through her film, televisn, and mil projects, begng back the 1990s when was cidly ls popular (and ls profable) to do so. This support has never been ambiguo, and Latifah has served a place the queer hall of fame long before she stood on that stage June. </span></p><div data-ponent-name="SubscribeWidget" class="subscribe-widget"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-center--SQPji"><div class="ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__ntaer--OfBh4"><form actn="/api/v1/ee?nojs=te" method="post" noValidate class="form ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__form--LDIzl"><put type="hidn" name="first_url" /><put type="hidn" name="first_referrer" /><put type="hidn" name="current_url" /><put type="hidn" name="current_referrer" /><put type="hidn" name="referral_" /><put type="hidn" name="source" value="subscribe-widget" /><put type="hidn" name="referrg_pub_id" /><put type="hidn" name="addnal_referrg_pub_ids" /><div class="ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__siBySiWrap--yhsgv"><put type="email" name="email" placeholr="Type your email..." class="pencraft ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__emailInput--BLQGf" /><button tabInx="0" type="subm" class="button rightButton primary subscribe-btn ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__button--WcLG9"><span class="button-text ">Subscribe</span></button></div><div id="error-ntaer"></div><div class="subtle-help-text below-put ontend-ponents-ee_email_form-module__lks--G_QlQ"></div></form><div class="ontend-log-typo_handler-EmailTypoHandler-module__animatnWrapper--UT0du"></div></div></div></div><div class="footnote" data-ponent-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-1-39614336" href=" class="footnote-number" ntentedable="false" rel>1</a><div class="footnote-ntent"><p>Season 1 Episo 23, “Five Card Stud”</p></div></div><div class="footnote" data-ponent-name="FootnoteToDOM"><a id="footnote-2-39614336" href=" class="footnote-number" ntentedable="false" rel>2</a><div class="footnote-ntent"><p>Season 3 Episo 22, “Woman to Woman”</p></div></div></div></div><div class="visibily-check"></div><div class="post-footer"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flexGrow--mx4xz ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-jtify-space-between--NvIcg ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-align-center--rSd6h ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-16--TpblU ontend-pencraft-Box-module__paddg-y-16--ohCEm ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-top-tail-themed--e17yZ ontend-pencraft-Box-module__borr-bottom-tail-themed--eVwFY post-ufi"><div class="pencraft ontend-pencraft-Box-module__ret--VfQY8 ontend-pencraft-Box-module__display-flex--ZqeZt ontend-pencraft-Box-module__flex-gap-8--HFpIK"><div class="like-button-ntaer post-ufi-button style-button"><a role="button" class="post-ufi-button style-button has-label wh-borr"><svg role="img" style="height: 20px; width: 20px;" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="#000000" stroke-width="2" stroke="#000" xmlns=" class="in"><g><tle> .

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