Archive

Azealia Banks is bisexual, so why is she using the “f” word?

Azealia Banks continues to gleefully court scandal via social media. The “212‘”singer, whose long awaited debut album Broke With Expensive Taste dropped in November, took aim at gays on Instagram last week.

Azealia Banks is Homophobic 1.

A photo posted by Azealia Banks (@azealiabanks) on Feb 5, 2015 at 9:57am PST

The LGBT community responded with predictable disapproval. “These words are slurs, whoever says them,” a Stonewall representative told The Independent. Hundreds of people responded with a barrage of angry comments and tweets, but Banks was only emboldened by the outcry. The skirmish moved to Twitter, where Banks and gay Vice columnist Mitch Sutherland publicly debated (if insulting someone on Twitter can be called debate) the assertion. Banks wrote, “Even if i am a homophobe… so wat? [sic] i still make more $ than you.. still have an extra hole.. and still own everything…the harsh truth. you gay bloggers try waving the homophobia flag at me like women are not the original source of all things fabulous, feminine and clever. Like I said… I own AWWWWWLLLL of this. It’s mine.”

All this just days after Banks posted a picture of herself in whiteface, a year after Banks and odious gay flibbertigibbet Perez Hilton squabbled over Banks calling him a “faggot”, and two since she got into a public feud with out rapper Angel Haze.

Azealia Banks saying provocative shiz on social media doesn’t surprise me, or anyone, in the least. It’s kind of her thing. What does puzzle me is Azealia’s total lack of acknowledgement or reference to LGBT women. Particularly because last time I checked, Banks was an out and proud bisexual. “212,” the song that made Banks a star, graphically described Azealia’s pussy eating palette. Quote:

Kick it with ya bitch who come from Parisian/She know where I get mine from and the season/Now she wanna lick my plum in the evening/And fit that ton-tongue d-deep in/I guess that cunt getting eaten

She officially came out, though, to the New York Times in 2012.

Before Banks found attention via beef with Iggy Azalea, she righteously proclaimed her bisexuality while denouncing the media for not taking it seriously. Yet in this latest argument for the right to say “faggot,” Banks makes no mention of her inclusion in the LGBT community. In fact, her entire argument hinges on the assertion that if gay men (not women) can say “bitch,” she (not “gay”-identified) can say “faggot.” It’s bizarre.

“Gay media has to stop using homophobia as a means to try and victimize itself and scar the names of its opponents,” Azealia tweeted. She seems to be exclusively referring to gay men in the media, in which case, HELLO, AZEALIA, I AM A GAY WOMAN IN THE MEDIA WE EXIST! WE EXIST. Assuming Azealia actually believes her own statements and isn’t just trying to rile up the rabble/bickering with her makeup artist, I have a few burning questions: How could a bisexual woman forget LGBT women exist? Why does Azealia Banks count herself as bisexual one minute and then imply she’s straight the next? Clearly she thrives on controversy and attention (no press is bad press, amiright?) but maybe a minute or two of consideration before beefing wouldn’t be amiss?

What really baffles me is this: slurs can be acceptably reclaimed by a minority. Bisexuals are part of the LGBT minority. “Faggot” refers to the LGBT minority. Ergo, Banks can technically use “faggot” without being homophobic, because it would qualify as a minority reclaiming the historical slur. So this is all kind of pointless. But then again, when did Instagram beef ever have a point?

Follow Chloë on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button