For years, hip-hop mogul Queen Latifah has garnered almost as much attention for her successful businesses as she has her oft-questioned sexuality. And while the entrepreneur has remained mum about the subject for years, in the September issue of Sister 2 Sister, Latifah talks about what she finds to be sexy in a woman, causing many to believe that she’s officially come out of the closet.
“…I just like ladies who have class — period. And if it’s ‘T and A’ you’re selling’, that’s fine, as long as that’s what you’re selling. But you don’t have to show everything, you know?” said Latifah in an excerpt from the interview. “You can hold some back and just be yourself and let your personality shine and let your individuality show. To me, that’s sexier. A confident woman is a sexy woman, in my opinion. And I think guys find that to be the same way.”
Adding, “You don’t have to show everything. You don’t have to put it all out there to attract a guy. Because what kind of guy are you gonna attract? What is he really looking for? If you wanna be a booty call, I guess you can throw it all out there,(laughs). But if you’re looking for a relationship with someone who respects you and respects things other than your body — your mind, your spirit, your personality, your smile — then you have to kind of exude that more so than just yo’ booty and yo’ titties.”
And while many, including major news organizations like ABC, are presuming this to be Latifah’s subtle declaration of her same-sex orientation, it should be noted that the original question posed by S2S publisher Jamie Foster Brown, as well as the context of the conversation was not mentioned in the excerpt.
This wouldn’t be the first occasion in recent times that Latifah’s sexuality has made national headlines. In August 2010, intimate photos of Latifah and her trainer/alleged girlfriend Jeanette Jenkins surfaced online, reigniting gay rumors surrounding Latifah. Just last month, Latifah’s sexuality became the subject of media fodder when, during in episode of VH1’s Single Ladies, which she executive produces, Latifah’s character came out as a lesbian, a move which many assumed was Latifah’s sly way of publicly addressing (and playing with) her own sexuality.
Indeed, any celebrities — especially minority celebrities — with the courage to come out of the closet in spite of homophobia and the obvious career risks should be applauded for their bravery. But considering the vagueness of the excerpt from Latifah’s S2S interview, we’ll hold off on shouting congratulations. – nicholas robinson
