Janelle Monáe wore a rainbow dress to the BET Awards, and it was stunning
Image: Leon Bennett/Getty
Janelle Monáe has made a glorious statement of LGBT visibility at the BET Awards.
There was a time when the “Make Me Feel” singer shied away from bringing up her sexuality – in fact, she only came out as queer two months ago.
But on June 25, Monáe marked Pride Month in the best way possible – that is, by proudly wearing a huge rainbow to a major event.
Monáe stuns the crowd (Leon Bennett/Getty)
The 32-year-old, who also starred in 2016 Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures, swept into the BET Awards in Los Angeles sporting an incredible floor-length display of queer pride.
Her dress was a rainbow, and it was beautiful.
But let’s be clear: Monáe has been providing fans with wonderful displays of LGBT advocacy all year long.
Monáe poses upon arrival for the BET Awards (LISA O’CONNOR/AFP/Getty)
In February, she released a bisexual anthem in the shape of “Make Me Feel” and a feminist track, “Django Jane,” in which she boasts that she “made a fandroid outta yo girlfriend.”
She then made lesbian sex front and centre in “PYNK,” a video which features women touching tongues and Monáe dressed in pussy pants, which Thor: Ragnarok actress and close friend Tessa Thompson emerges from with a wide grin.
In “PYNK,” the two stars gaze at each other seductively over a series of women’s bums, after the singer accepted Thompson’s seductive offering of a lollipop in “Make Me Feel.”
(Janelle Monáe/YouTube)
Monáe then came out in April, telling the world: “Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – I consider myself to be a free-ass motherf**ker.”
The singer-songwriter explained that she had identified as bisexual at first, “but then later I read about pansexuality and was like: ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.’
“I’m open to learning more about who I am.”
Monáe came out in April (LISA O’CONNOR/AFP/Getty)
After her debut album The ArchAndroid was released in 2010, she refuted questions about her sexuality, saying: “The lesbian community has tried to claim me, but I only date androids.
“Nothing like an android, they don’t cheat on you.”
She said that at that time, she was insecure about herself.
(Janelle Monáe/YouTube)
“It had to do with the fear of being judged,” she explained.
“All I saw was that I was supposed to look a certain way coming into this industry, and I felt like I [didn’t] look like a stereotypical black female artist.”
(Emma McIntyre/Getty)
She also revealed that the original title of her hit 2013 song “Q.U.E.E.N.” was “Q.U.E.E.R.” – and that you can still hear “queer” being sung in the background.
The singer added that her new album Dirty Computer – which drops on April 27 – was dedicated to LGBT people.
Monáe performs at the 2018 BET Awards (Frederick M. Brown/Getty)
“I want young girls, young boys, nonbinary, gay, straight, queer people who are having a hard time dealing with their sexuality, dealing with feeling ostracised or bullied for just being their unique selves, to know that I see you,” she said.
“This album is for you. Be proud.”
