TL;DR
- Azealia Banks criticizes gay men for wearing lipstick.
- She claims the gay community has let itself go.
- Critics call her out for femme-shaming.
- Femme-shaming stigmatizes men with feminine traits.
- Banks has a history of controversial remarks.
Ever since we told them they can wear lipstick in public, gays have let themselves go, Azealia Banks declared in her latest social media tirade. The rapper, known for her unfiltered opinions, took to X (formerly Twitter) to unleash a wave of femme-shaming aimed at the gay community, particularly after OnlyFans star Corey Jacob shared a post lamenting the current state of male beauty standards.
Jacob had reposted a picture of two ruggedly handsome men in black Speedos, asking, “Why don’t men look like this anymore?” Banks, never one to shy away from controversy, responded with her now-infamous line: “Defund the faggots.” Yes, you heard that right. She went on to suggest that the gay community has lost its way since embracing more fluid expressions of masculinity and femininity.
In her post, Banks elaborated, “Because we’ve stopped enforcing heteronormativity. This is why we need to defund the faggots. Ever since we told them they can wear lipstick in public, gays have let themselves go.” Talk about a hot take that’s bound to ruffle some feathers!
Critics were quick to fire back in the comments, pointing out that Banks was making sweeping generalizations about gay men. One user remarked, “They said men, and here you go making it about only gay men,” while another simply stated, “Keep our names out your mouth.” It’s clear that not everyone is on board with Banks’ femme-shaming agenda.
https://x.com/iiwasinthee212/status/2057040460263162261?s=20
But what exactly is femme-shaming? Also known as femmephobia, it refers to the stigmatization of men, both within and outside the queer community, who express themselves through feminine traits, whether that’s through makeup, clothing, or mannerisms. This toxic mindset often rears its ugly head on gay dating apps, where phrases like “Masc4Masc” and “no fats, no femmes” perpetuate discrimination against those who don’t fit the narrow mold of masculinity.
British gay icon Alan Carr has previously spoken out about his experiences with femme-shaming, recalling being called a “fat fairy” by his father during his youth. He emphasized, “Camp men aren’t the enemy here.” In a similar vein, Jack Smith, star of I Kissed a Boy, shared his perspective on the term “femboy,” stating that embracing femininity is a powerful act of self-acceptance in a world that often punishes deviation from the binary norm.
It’s worth noting that Banks has a well-documented history of making controversial statements about the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, she likened gender-affirming care to “getting castrated,” which sparked outrage and condemnation from many advocates and allies.
As the conversation around gender expression and body image continues to evolve, one thing is clear: Azealia Banks’ comments have reignited discussions about femme-shaming and the pressures faced by men in the gay community. Will she ever learn to keep her opinions to herself? Only time will tell.