Queen Latifah: ‘Being gay is not a character flaw’
Queen Latifah has said that attitudes to homosexuality are still “antiquated”, with a tendency to treat it as a “character flaw”.
Speaking to Uptown magazine, the Chicago star discussed how homosexuality is received within the black community, as well as her views on America’s current equal marriage laws.
She said: “People’s ideas in general are antiquated when it comes to who you love. We haven’t moved as quickly as we probably should.”
“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.”
It was recently announced that Latifah would be stepping into the shoes of legendary blues singer, Bessie Smith, for an upcoming HBO film. Discussing the role, she said she was unsure how audiences would react to the Smith’s bisexuality.
She said: “I’m not really sure how people will feel about [Bessie’s bisexuality]. It’s not like it’s a secret with her story. She was just free.”
