Rapper/actress (raptress?) Queen Latifah is going where only Cyndi Lauper and Kristine W have gone before: She’s headlining her her first gay Pride event this month, in Long Beach, California.
Latifah will take the stage at the 20th annual Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival on May 19, the first time she’s performed at a queer event. (Though our spies did catch her at Splash in New York once.)
“Queen Latifah is the voice of our generation and her concert here will be phenomenal,” says Long Beach Pride Festival co-President Pat Crosby. “For her to make her worldwide Pride debut here in Long Beach is a tremendous testament to the popularity of our celebration and the strength of our community.”
Is this Latifah’s way of testing the waters for a bigger announcement? Or is she going to be one of those stars who hides in increasing plain view?
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You know who else is performing at Long Beach Pride? Drag Race veteran Ongina and the Village People. We’re just sayin’.
Raphael
Hey–are you talking smack about Long Beach?
Spike
Curious, she is taking the stage on 5/19, Sat. night, which is lesbian day at the LB Pride Festival. Previous headliners ALWAYS performed on Sunday evening, Sunday being the higher attended and diverse day at the festival. The more important question, with so many lesbians partying it up with Queen L on Sat. night, will they be in any condition to terrorize the parade goers on Sunday morning in their golf carts?!!?
Seamus
Every year it seems, Latifah is encouraged to come out of the closet, and every year there appears to be some evidence to suggest she can’t hide her alleged lesbian self anymore- yet every year she seems to maintain that she is not a lesbian. Perhaps she is not a lesbian.
Ellen
She’ll never come out! Pathetic, especially when everyone already knows she’s gay!
Jawsch
Voice of our generation? What generation? o.0
She was famous like what…20+ years ago?
Joe in Savannah
I think that it is important to not try and pull people out of the closet. If they are gay, let them come out on their own terms. If they say that they aren’t then support them either way. After all, its not our choice for them to come out or not. Why do some in our community want everybody that is rumored to be gay to just come out of the closet I personally love Ms. Latifah, and would continue to love her whether she were straight or gay; it doesn’t make a difference. Support a person based on their work, not on their sexual orientation.
Cam
@Joe in Savannah: said…
“I think that it is important to not try and pull people out of the closet. If they are gay, let them come out on their own terms.”
______________-
I’m sorry, but I find it a bit insulting that a closet case would be headlining at an event focused on “Pride”. Having Pride isn’t about hiding. If she wants to come out that would be fantastic. But if she wants to continue being ashamed of who she is, them maybe she should reconsider being anywhere where the word “Pride” is used.
Oh, ok
Call me crazy but it sounds like she was invited to be there and accepted. Doesn’t mean she’s obligated to come out.
We already know she’s gay. This is the same moronic nonsense over Matt Bomer when we all already saw pictures confirming he was gay.
Why do you feel a person owes you something when they’re gay? You say we did nothing wrong and we don’t owe explanation then you treat celebrities you know are gay like criminals for not blasting it to the entire world.
Try hurling that animosity towards the closeted celebrities who are constantly sending out legal teams to harass other gay people online. Start with tools like Matt Lanter. I don’t see anyone hounding him and he definitely had a lot of people harassed and threatened with law suits to hide his little secret.
As far as I know Latifah hasn’t done that to anyone.
Cam
@Oh, ok:
Because everybody knowing she’s gay and her staying in the closet is her saying that being out is shameful and being gay is something to hide. If she wants to be closeted, she can, but don’t come out to a Pride festival. It’s pure hypocrisy.
DouggSeven
It’s her life – let her live it how she wants to. I am not out in all facets of society either and I think it is stupid to do so in situations where it can do you harm either physically or emotionally. I realize that visibility is key, but there’s a time and a place for everything.
Kim
First of all La is Bi not a lesbian Secondly she has never hidden her relationships with females. Personally I hope she continues to live her life and never announces she is Bi.Especially half the Gays on this site claim Bisexuality doesn’t exist.
nikz
@Kim:
pff i wish people would stop trying to “out” celebs -.-…hypocracy at a high level..
bisexuality doesnt exist? personally….i think the “lines” between sexual orientations
are very thin….i identify as gay myself…but i dont think there’s any definite
orientation….people label themselves all the time..
BlogShag
Those in the know, have known she is gay for years, just like Margaret Cho, K.D. Lang, Ellen Degeneres, Doogie Howser, etc..
BlogShag
@nikz: People who say the kinds of things you just did, scream BISEXUAL.