British-Pakistan actress Jameela Jamil comes out as ‘queer’ amid backlash for hosting a ‘voguing’ show. People didn’t want a cis woman with no expertise in ballroom dance to host the show. However, it turns out that she’s actually a judge on the show, not a host.
The Good Place actress recently announced that she would be hosting an upcoming television show about voguing and ballroom competitions. Audiences felt the new HBO Max series ‘Legendary‘ forgot to honor the origins of ‘voguing’, the LGBTQ community.
Jameela did not suffer the ‘universal backlash’ alone, as there were objections to co-host American rapper Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, who goes by ‘Megan Thee Stallion‘ as well.
Legendary, an HBO Max competition series about voguing, with two cishet women as judges. No thanks. Were Billy Porter and Trace Lysette unavailable? Jameela Jamil and Meg are WoC, but marginalized people aren’t interchangeable, and voguing isn’t just a dance: it’s LGBTQ+ culture. https://t.co/yHMnmjKOq6
— Jerrica (@JinkiesJerrica) February 5, 2020
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Even Out magazine noted that Jameela is;
“a woman who many do not know to be queer or trans, and who seemingly has no connection to ballroom.”
Now the Freshly Squeezed starlet has come out as queer. She explained what the rainbow symbol on her Twitter profile means.
Of course, people asked why she didn’t come out until now. The Misery Index actress said ‘when people asked what it signified, she would tell them’. Except why would someone ask if someone is queer based on ‘vibes’. That would’ve been profiling.
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1225165342965669888
Jameela says she ‘kept it low, to avoid ‘the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping‘. She asserts this;
“is absolutely not how I wanted it to come out”
She then corrected everyone how she’s a judge on the show, not the main host.
“I’m not the MC. I’m not the main host. I’m just a lead judge due to my 11 years of hosting experience, being fully impartial, a newcomer to ballroom (like much of the audience will be) and therefore a window in for people who are just discovering it now, and being a long time ally of the lgbtq community.”
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She then opened up about her childhood experiences and journey to accepting her identity as a queer.
“I didn’t come from a family with *anyone* openly out. It’s also scary as an actor to openly admit your sexuality, especially when you’re already a brown female in your thirties,”
That was all good until she voiced a hint of a ‘savior complex’. She accepted she’s not qualified to judge ballroom dance but has ‘privilege and power and a large following to bring to this show‘.
“Sometimes it takes those with more power to help get a show off the ground so we can elevate marginalized stars that deserve the limelight and give them a chance,”
The Misery Index actress also announced that she’s taking a break from religion.
via HuffPost
