Queen Latifah to Headline Gay Pride Festival, Here’s Why It Shouldn’t Matter If She Ever ‘Officially’ Comes Out

Queen Latifah has been tapped to headline the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival later this month, which has left many wondering if she’s finally, officially, coming out and letting the world know she’s gay.

Since playing Cleo, the brash out and proud lesbian, in the film Set It Off many have speculated about Latifah’s sexual orientation. Although she’s never said she was gay…or straight for that matter, people seemed to assume that her convincing performance hinted at her true self. Add to that the fact that she’s never been spotted with man-candy on her arm but was spotted on a boat getting close with Jeanette Jenkins, and folks began waiting for her to officially proclaim she’s gay and proud.

But why?

I’ve always been a fan of the Queen. Since she burst on the scene with her Afrocentric ‘fits and powerful, take-no-shorts lyrics, she’s always been one of my favorites. So when people argue that she needs to just “come out already” I want to tell them STFU.

Here’s why.

Reason # 1: People don’t have to “come out as straight,” why is it different for gays?

No one ever questions when a heterosexual person will “come out” and explain to the world that, yes…they love the opposite sex, so why should it be any different for a gay person? If life is about being in love and living how you want, why does one person owe the world a long, drawn-out explanation about what goes on between their sheets, and the other does not? Separate but equal? Methinks not.