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R’n’b singer Tank has prompted much comment on social media after his appearance on the podcast Lip Service.
Promoting his new album, Elevation (out Friday), the singer got into a discussion about honesty. Host Angela Lee was talking about men who tell lies: If a man lies twice, does that mean he is a liar?
Tank says no, pointing out he’s done construction work a couple of times in the past but that doesn’t make him a construction worker.
The conversation starts around the 2.10 mark below.
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The specific quotes were highlighted on social media.
Is Tank wild or BIG WILD FOR THIS? pic.twitter.com/RJLrRtRlWG
— Kem (@Kembo_Slice) October 22, 2019
Host Angela Yee goes on to say: “Let’s say he sucked a d**k one time… say twice… does that make him gay?”
Tank replied: “No, here’s the thing. Twice is excessive, but let’s dig into it.
“He sucked a dick once and then he’s like, ‘I’m not sure if I liked it or not. Let me try again.’
“And then he says, ‘You know what, it’s not for me, I don’t like the taste!’
“It doesn’t mean he’s gay. It means he sucked d**k twice… because the art of being gay is being gay.”
Related: Gospel/R&B singer Terrence Stone: “I’m a bisexual male”
The comments have prompted some raised eyebrows among his followers.
That’s bs the guy had to initially be attracted to the other guy to even want to try it which makes him gay 🤦🏾♀️ wtf
— Silky T (@lsilkyth) October 23, 2019
However, many others have said Tank’s right to point out that experimenting with one’s sexuality, and physical acts alone, do not decide someone’s orientation. As we all know, many gay and lesbian people have had sexual experiences with people of the opposite sex, but that doesn’t make them heterosexual. Others are bisexual or bi-curious.
It’s called being curious and figuring out who you are. Doesnt make a person gay. If it’s a continued behavior then yes it’s gay but to see if it’s something you thought you liked then no, he’s not big wild for this statement. People just need to stop being childish.
— Queen Q. (@QDub__) October 23, 2019
Tank is best known for his US chart hits “Maybe I Deserve”, “Please Don’t Go”, and “When We”. He married his long-term partner, Zena Foster, in 2018. The couple have two children, and Tank also has three other kids from previous relationships.
He followed up the podcast by posting a video to Instagram last night in which he addressed his comments.
Promoting the podcast, he says, laughing: “I said what I said!
“You all so God-damn homophobic. You got to watch the whole clip, in any event. Homophobia is real, let me tell you. It’s just as real as racism, classism, all of these things, and just as damaging. And it plagues our community the worst.
“This can’t be used as a negative. You can’t use a human being’s existence as a negative. We’re going through enough shit … don’t do that: I get it. You want to call me gay. I don’t have to defend that to you or anybody, you don’t have that power over me, but … but let’s get back to positivity.”
He then gets in another plug for his album: “I don’t care what your sexual orientation is. Get this album. It’s gonna work for you.”
Related: Azealia Banks slams those taking PrEP and blasts “dumbass” Frank Ocean
Tank has made headlines before as an LGBTQ ally. In 2017, he performed at a Washington DC Gay Black Pride event. His latest Instagram comments were largely welcomed.
“People gone be so quick to say ya gay and miss what ya actually saying 🤦🏾♂️ the homophobia and double standard bout to jump outta a lot of people too,” said @vincebarries.
Tank (@therealtank) responded: “It’s social media. No one really listens they just find the part that gives them the gas to be evil. That’s what this place represents. It’s entertainment for me and I know how to entertain..lol.”
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
“Homophobia is real, let me tell you. It’s just as real as racism, classism, all of these things, and just as damaging. And it plagues our community the worst”.
I love this guy! being absolutely honest about the sad epidemic of homophobia in the Black community. It’s disgusting when a members of a marginalized community spew hatred and bigotry on another community facing the same…
wellinmysoul
there you blow again
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
wellyoushoulddoresearch:
A focus group of black voters in South Carolina commissioned by Pete Buttigieg’s campaign found that the candidate’s sexual orientation may be one of the reasons he has struggled to gain support among African Americans there.
Buttigieg, 37, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., and the country’s first openly gay presidential candidate, has exceeded fundraising and polling expectations in the Democratic primary.
However, he has struggled to make inroads with black voters. Among black voters in South Carolina, he received less than 1 percent support in a Fox News poll released this month, and 0 percent in a Winthrop University poll in late September.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
@Plays…..”Among black voters in South Carolina, he received less than 1 percent support in a Fox News poll released this month, and 0 percent in a Winthrop University poll in late September.”
Honey, didn’t the “Fox News” part alone sound as though that “poll” might be biased? You need to give commenting a break if thats the best response you could come up. I can’t believe you actually posted that.
dinard38
@wellinmysoul Well, PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS is not wrong. Homophobia is more rampant in the black community than white. The reason for this is twofold: 1. Religion, of course. I read a recent poll on religion in America. A whopping 74% of blacks believe that the word of god should be taken literally or mostly literally, vs. 56% white. Which means more blacks believe that homosexuality is a sin.
2. Black men have this notion that white men are trying to emasculate them. They usually cite Hollywood as an example, where black men can’t succeed unless they put on a dress….ala Tyler Perry, Eddie Murphy. Or they are flamboyant like a Billy Porter. And they equate these things with being gay.
Have you been to a black church? Good grief!! They preach so hard against homosexuality. It’s an abomination!!!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Sister Bertha:
A focus group of black voters in South Carolina commissioned by Pete Buttigieg’s campaign found that the candidate’s sexual orientation may be one of the reasons he has struggled to gain support among African Americans there.
Please read and try and comprehend every word of a thread before commenting on a comment…..
What part of “commissioned by Pete’s campaign” did you not understand? I can’t believe YOU posted that!
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
My dear Plays………I commented on the part about Fox News. As for whom it was that got the commission (or paid off would be a more accurate way to put it) is there ANY doubt the people that group contacted weren’t their fellow church members or members of a like minded thinking congregation? South Carolina is the state where nine members made the mistake of showing kindness to a derelict white boy who pulled out a gun and killed them during bible study but their relatives asked he not be put to death. Didn’t any of that come into mind about the mentality of that “focus group”? Did they try contacting any black gay groups and get any of their opinions of him? What about the working class blacks? Or better yet why didn’t this group mention anything about the people they asked to participate? I stand by my assessment of YOUR comment.
Brian
Massive homophobia in the black community isn’t exactly a secret, it has been well documented and discussed extensively over the years. I can’t believe you’re citing polling methods as a defense against it. Just open your eyes dear, that’s all the proof you need.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Brian, my eyes were open when I saw the movie Pink Flamingos. You told me Divine didn’t walk up behind that dog and pick up its mess and eat but thats just what your idol did do because my open eyes saw it and if you or anyone else require further proof of that go over on youtube and see for yourself. This was a “poll” conducted by a group of people whose outcome should have been predicted in the mind of the idiot who thought to commission it. Obama won a second term thanks to the black vote and he was the most gay friendly president ever. If Butimae (or what ever the hell his name is) is struggling in the polls his stale personality has a lot more to do with it than religion.
Brian
Wow. Obama winning the black vote, even though he’s very gay friendly, is another one of your arguments against homophobia in the black community? That may very well be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen on Queerty, and that is saying a hell of a lot.
But sure, keep trying to distract from your monumental lack of critical thinking skills by lying about what I said about Pink Flamingos months ago. That’ll show me.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
Brian, in regards to that fight that you had with the truth, believe it or not (and we all know you won’t) the truth won the fight. Thats what Divine did at the end of that movie. You must spend an awful lot on breath mints.
wellinmysoul
you dont su*ck di*ck, you su*ck the man!
DuMaurier
Not at the glory hole.
WashDrySpin
Of course Queerty has to use a shirtless pic of Tank in order to sexualize this black man…so sad but predictable…
JaredMacBride
You’re whining about Queerty reposting a shirtless photo taken from the guy’s own instagram page?
MISTERJETT
no complaints here!!!!
jjose712
Well, he is right. Some people are curious or have doubt about their sexuality so it’s pretty normal to experiment to really know what you like and what you don’t like
michel_banen
Who cares ? You gotta try stuff in order to know if you like it. Sucking d*ck doesn’t make you gay as the fact that you would want to do that repeatedly means you probably already are gay. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Kangol2
Tank is on point. Sexual experimentation does not determine or correlate exactly with orientation, and it’s great too that he didn’t respond homophobically but instead affirmed LGBTQ people, and called out homophobic and anti-gay attitudes. As for the roots of homophobia in the African American and other Black communities, Christianity, especially various forms of fundamentalist Christianity, Islam and other religions (Hebrew Israelites, etc.) play a huge part, as has the long history of poltiical, social, and economic emasculation of Black men by white supremacy and racism. That said, quite a few of the social and intellectual path blazers throughout US LGBTQ history have been and continue to be Black people.
As for Buttigieg and the Black community, maybe look at his terrible record in South Bend, in which he fired the Black police chief and has protected white racist officers. He even admitted that he has handled that situation, and others involving the Black community in South Bend, terribly. That’s out of his mouth, not just a supposition.
Black politicians (Al Sharpton, Carol Moseley Braun) were among the first to support same-sex marriage nationally. Black voters have repeatedly voted for out gay candidates (Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin overwhelming won over Milwaukee’s and the rest of the state’s Black voters in multiple campaigns; Black voters have supported Jared Polis, Kyrsten Sinema, David Cicciline, etc. Buttigieg’s issue isn’t that he’s gay, it’s that he has a very troubled record with his Black constituents.
rustyiam
Lol big eye roll here! You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself of this nonsense!
Donston
I’m just kinda over the identity obsession, the constant debates over this is being “gay” and that isn’t “gay”, as well as our obsession with people who at least have overall hetero preferences and ambitions. On the other hand, I don’t entirely disagree with Tank. I don’t completely align with his perspective either. Once again, “gay” is getting reduced to being entirely about body parts, sex and behaviors.
Grandolphrz
Is it about something else? Is something being left out?
Grandolphrz
If a guy sucks a dick, it doesn’t make him gay. Twice, he’s more than curious. Three times, then he better apply for his membership card. I think all guys should be with another guy at some point in their lives. Either sucking dick or all the way. How horrible to go through life knowing that some guys have sex with other guys and enjoy it, but because they put themselves in a “straight” category, they will never know what it’s like. They will wonder for the rest of their lives.
Bytemenow
Just to be clear, as a gay, black, male I like Pete Buttigieg, and I’d vote for him to be President, but unfortunately, he’ll never get the support of the black community. In the black community, homosexuality IS the original sin. He could find the cure for all cancers on the planet, come up with the formula to stop the aging process, or literally promise to send a big check to all black households in America, and they still won’t vote for him simply because’s gay. Being gay AND married is the death knell. In the black community, if given the choice, many would rather have a child that is a murderer and straight than having a child that is gay. It’s sad, but true.
I can sorta see Tank’s point, but he appears to be splitting pubic hairs. We tend to be comfortable and accepting with being able to label everyone and everything. We’re uneasy when we can’t categorize people by their actions and behaviors. Also, where did the arbitrary threshold of 2 come from? Who decided that 2 is the threshold? What if he decided it wasn’t for him after 3, 4, 10, or 100 times?
To me, it’s not the number of times he does it, but it’s performing the act with someone of the same sex that makes the difference. In my opinion, a guy is at least bi if he sucks d*ck period. He may not act on it ever again, but I’d still say he’s bi.
Having said that, just let people do what want to do in their own sex lives. If it’s not your d*ck being sucked or if you’re not the one sucking d*ck, move on Myrtle.
imhensley
I’m not familiar with your work, Tank, but thank you for speaking the truth and not letting others make you feel like you have to walk it back. You have COMMON SENSE and EMPATHY, which about 95% of other people can’t claim. Keep on speaking up for yourself and others!
Brian
Why does nobody ever accuse gay men who have had sex with women multiple times of being straight?
dwes09
I think it is because straight people would never “accuse” someone of being straight. They consider it the default, and (despite professed political stance) proper….anything else is a deviation from that.
Sister Bertha Bedderthanyu
“Why does nobody”…………………..Lord, I ask you what else but…………………….use that type diction? I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. No need to wonder anymore why the continuous argument over the ending of a movie (Pink Flamingo’s) he clearly has never seen. lol lol Yes, let them go on and the TRUTH will appear every time or should I say give them enough rope and they will hang themselves every time and need no help doing it. lol lol
Brian
My dear, that is grammatically correct. Try harder.