inside jamari fox
inside jamari fox - taking you real deep
i hate when some of the fellow gays do this.
not the fist pump,
smart ass.
that “not minding their own business” thing.
the ones who are out,
but begging for others to come out to make the world better.
lena waithe is who i’m talking about today.
she is an out actress/writer for “masters of none” and “the chi”.
she had a lot to say during the “essence black women in hollywood awards luncheon” on thursday.
this is what she said via “usa today”…
Lena Waithe didn’t mince words on Oscars weekend, using her platform at Thursday’s Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards luncheon to urge her colleagues to be more open about their sexuality.
Waithe, who is gay and engaged to fiancée Alana Mayo, memorably won an Emmy last fall for writing the Thanksgiving episode of Master of None, in which her character builds up the courage to come out to her mother (played by Angela Bassett).
Waithe, who based the episode on her own experience coming out, pronounced her love and gratitude for Mayo from the podium at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “I’m glad I can do that — profess my love to my love out loud in front of all of you,” she said. “Who knew that in 2018 that would still be considered a revolutionary act?”
The actress/writer/producer continued, saying she knows why those in the spotlight are “still hiding. Hiding because we don’t want to lose an endorsement deal. Hiding because they want to be ‘normal.’ Hiding because we don’t want to make white folks uneasy. But most of all, hiding because we don’t want to make our own people uncomfortable.”
But, she continued: “Being born gay, black and female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay black female is.” Huge applause in the ballroom followed.
On Thursday, speaking before such luminaries as Angela Bassett, Ava DuVernay and Lupita Nyong’o, Waithe said they must be beacons for a younger generation and made a moving reference to one of her favorite movies as a child, The Wizard of Oz.
“There’s this moment in the movie when Dorothy’s presence interrupts the peace of Oz, which forces all the Munchkins to run and hide. So Glinda the Good Witch tells them to stop hiding. She tells them to come out: ‘Come out, wherever you are. Don’t be afraid.’ It’s interesting how things you hear as a kid take on a whole new meaning as an adult. Her words still ring loudly in my ears, especially today,” she said.
“So I ask those of you that are still hiding to come out. Come out, wherever you are, please don’t be afraid. And I hope that you know that I’m here to hold your hand whenever you decide to jump into this wonderful pool of people who refuse to be hidden. The water is warm.”
do folks realize that coming out is a very scary to some?
do they realize it’s also very personal too?
it’s not writing an episode on a tv show and getting an emmy.
it’s a life changing event that may or may not go well.
if it doesn’t go well,
it can drive folks to taking their own lives.
not for nothing,
but lena needs to worry about her own life and sexuality.
i’ve noticed she throws subtle shade at her peers for not “coming out”.
like,
it gives her nightmares and keeps her up at night.
it’s almost like she needs others to validate her own coming out story.
some gays love to do this and it annoys me to no end.
i’m here to font you:
Jamari Fox doesn’t care who is “in or out” of the closet.
even if i was out,
that’s still not my problem.
i care about myself and my own happiness.
some love to use celebs as their “leaders”,
but as soon as that leader does/says something they don’t like,
they are quickly dragged and “cancelled”.
so i’m here to tell the foxhole:
Do what you need to do on your own time
if you want to come out tomorrow,
or spend 1,000 years in the closet,
that is totally up to you.
i don’t think you’re a coward if you want to stay “hidden”.
i think you just aren’t ready and that’s okay.
unlike the rest,
i’m not here to judge.
as for lena: worry about yourself and your accomplishments love.
you’re doing a pretty good job with that already.
article cc: usa today
Lena Waithe Wants All Her Peers In Hollywood To Come Out The Closet
Jamari Fox