Occasional LGBTQ ally Nicki Minaj is being accused of peddling harmful bisexual stereotypes in her new single.
In the song “Say So” remix with Doja Cat, Minaj claims she’s no longer bisexual. During the song’s outro, she raps, “Used to be bi, but now I’m just hetero.”
But many on Twitter find the throwaway lyric problematic, feeling it perpetuates outdated and negative ideas about bisexuals.
Nicki Minaj reveals she’s no longer Bisexual ? pic.twitter.com/j68DkNakAu
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) May 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/fukctherich/status/1256626100228231169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1256626100228231169&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitalxtra.com%2Fartists%2Fnicki-minaj%2Fnews%2Fsexuality-bisexual-problematic-lyrics-say-so-remix%2F
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I know Nicki Minaj did NOT just said “used to be bi now I’m just hetero” …. this ain’t it …. delete immediately
— just a mama (@thebimb0diaries) May 1, 2020
Nicki Minaj leaving the bisexual community (2020) https://t.co/Vxgt7S8T0m
— stream chromatica (@lovechromatica) May 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/everforemma/status/1256076449414610944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1256076449414610944&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitalxtra.com%2Fartists%2Fnicki-minaj%2Fnews%2Fsexuality-bisexual-problematic-lyrics-say-so-remix%2F
https://twitter.com/itscalebryan/status/1256085760974811137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1256085760974811137&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitalxtra.com%2Fartists%2Fnicki-minaj%2Fnews%2Fsexuality-bisexual-problematic-lyrics-say-so-remix%2F
nicki minaj leaving the bisexual community https://t.co/C9i6D3JPnw
— ? (@KlMSDAILY) May 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/BexShoots/status/1256821251827478529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1256821251827478529&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitalxtra.com%2Fartists%2Fnicki-minaj%2Fnews%2Fsexuality-bisexual-problematic-lyrics-say-so-remix%2F
So, I've never been a Nicki Minaj fan, but now she has grown that into an avid disgust. "Used to be Bi, now I'm just hetero" is the exact shit that perpetuates one of the largest stigmas that bisexual individuals fight in both the straight and queer communities.
— The Lady Shady (@The_Lady_Shady) May 4, 2020
In 2010, Minaj talked briefly about her sexuality with Rolling Stone, explaining that, in her beginning of her career, she pretended to like girls to “get attention.”
“I think girls are sexy,” she said. “But I’m not going to lie and say that I date girls.”
Related: 7 celebrities accused of queerbaiting: James Franco, Nick Jonas, and more
Of course, Minaj is not the first pop star to be accused of getting it wrong about bisexuality.
Last year, singer Liam Payne received criticism for his song “Both Ways,” which detailed a sexual encounter with a man and two women.
Many felt the song’s lyrics perpetuated passé stereotypes often attached bisexual people, particularly bisexual women. Payne later apologized for it.
Related: Liam Payne finally addresses accusations of biphobia following the release of his last album
jjose712
She never was.
A lot of female singers said they are bisexual or use lesbian imagenery on their videos just because it’s chic or in fashion or a straight male fantasy.
Minaj like Jessie J did before then renegate of what they previously said, nothing new here
jayceecook
Came here to say the exact same thing. I was never a fan of either but Jessie J seemed legit at the time whereas I *never* actually believed NM. They both can take a long walk on a short pier.
Black Pegasus
She’s a Stupid H0e…
Dymension
Was she ever?
Cam
I’m not sure I understand the confusion. The article quoted her saying
“”In 2010, Minaj talked briefly about her sexuality with Rolling Stone, explaining that, in her beginning of her career, she pretended to like girls to “get attention.”””
That seems to be an admission, 10 years ago that she faked being into girls to get some attention. So who still thought she was bisexual and not lying about it??
iminheatlikeacat
I don’t see any difference between this and Jameela Jamil, who Queerty often champion as “out” because she came out as “queer” in response to a backlash she suffered for taking on a role in an LGBT themed show, despite being in a heterosexual relationship and has never dated a woman.
jjose712
I don’t understand why an actor has to defend him or herself for taking a role. Acting is playing someone different than yourself
shakes_head
You don’t have to date a member of your own gender to validate your queerness btw…
Cam
To the two other responders.
So let’s see, according to you it’s fine for a straight person to claim Queerness when it isn’t true?
And you want to go back to the times when LGBT people were never given jobs.
Ok, got it.
iminheatlikeacat
@shakes_head – do you know who Jameela is? A quick scroll through her Twitter feed should give you an insight. This is a woman who claims to have had:
Her teeth knocked out by a tennis racket at school
mercury poisoning
serious peanut allergies
Allergic to bees
2 car accidents leaving her in a wheelchair and using a zimmer frame
eating disorder
coeliac disease
breast cancer pre-cancerous cells
breast reduction (or ‘large part of breast removed due to cancerous cells)
cervical cancer twice
broke elbow
knocked front teeth out
concussion (multiple times)
seizures (according to boyfriend)
Born deaf
PCOS
Hashimotos thyroiditis
Ehlers Danlos
Type 1 diabetes
Broke ribs
Broke ‘arse’ twice’
PTSD
Anxiety
Graves disease
asthma
So yeah, whilst I can go with the argument that you don’t have to date a member of your own sex to be queer, when it comes to her, I simply don’t believe her. She’s been caught out lying so many times I would bet my house that this is a case of “I think Beyonce is a beautiful woman therefore I must be queer”. Even her costars have pretty much said some of the things above that she said happened on set didn’t happen.
iminheatlikeacat
@Cam – what are you talking about? Her taking the job away from LGBT people is what the backlash was all about in the first place, hence the “coming out” (again, another lie she tried to explain which doesn’t make sense)
Cam
@iminheatlikeacat
I was resonding to the people who responded to you, I think you and I area on the same page.
iminheatlikeacat
@Cam – My mistake! 🙂
Ryan99
A pop star saying complete and utter bullshit to get attention? Who does she think she is, the president?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
An AutoTune no talent …
SeanBear
She meets criteria to have Borderline Personality Disorder. Due to this I do not believe what she claims is the truth. People who have this disorder can also having difficulty defining their sexual identity. They struggle with forming relationships, especially intimate ones. If she forms a close relationship with a woman she easily will say she is bisexual, with a man she is now hetrosexual.
Donston
Nicki never claimed she was “bisexual”. When she started her career she used to rap about signing autographs on girls’ boobs. She recognized that girl-girl eroticism was an easy way to net attention and to come off “subversive”, but she never embraced a bi identity. It’s very unlikely Nicki was ever into chicks. That was a stupid line meant to indirectly attack Wendy Williams for attacking her. However, we do need to accept that fluidity is real for some people, that identity dependence can be problematic, and that it can take time for some folks to get where they fit within the the romantic, sexual, affection, emotional investment, relationship contentment spectrum. Still, it was a dumb line.
Cam
She isn’t struggling, she explained the situation quite clearly.
jayceecook
This coming from the chick who says she has a gay, demonic male alter ego/brother. Excuse me while I feign surprise over this newest revelation.
garybw
?girl got bank and don’t need to chow kitty?
Kieran
Bisexuality may fade, but dumb is forever.
ciasteczek
Oookeeey… so we are going to backlash people for coming out as straight now?? Love SJW double standards!
OhHellNo
NIcki who?
Ginger Tom
Honestly, who cares?
ricdardc1
So Now The Smell really is COY FISH coming from Between her Legs, Never Liked The Fake A*s Skank anyway.