Jameela Jamila comes out as queer after critics slammed her for voguing competition show

Jameela Jamil has come out as queer on Twitter today, but made the announcement while slamming ‘brutal’ social media users who forced her hand by attacking her role hosting a new show.

On Thursday, HBO Max announced that The Good Place star, 33, would serve as MC and judge on its new voguing competition series.

The announcement led to a furious reaction on social media, where critics said Jameela had no business hosting the show as a cisgender heterosexual woman.

Responding to the backlash, Jameela revealed that she is not, in fact, cishet, but considers herself queer — confessing that she didn’t want to share the news this way, but felt pressured into it by ‘mean comments’ on Twitter.  

Trouble: Jameela Jamil has come out as queer on Twitter today, but made the announcement while slamming ‘brutal’ social media users who forced her hand by attacking her role hosting a new show

News: HBO Max announced that The Good Place star, 33, would serve as MC and judge on its new voguing competition series

News: HBO Max announced that The Good Place star, 33, would serve as MC and judge on its new voguing competition series

HBO Max had initially announced that Jameela will be both MC and judge, and other judges include Megan Thee Stallion, Law Roach, and Leiomy Maldonado as judges. Dashaun Wesley will be a commentator, and DJ MikeQ will be the DJ.

Leiomy, Dashun, and DJ MikeQ all have ties to the dance at the center of the show. According to Out magazine, DJ MikeQ has ‘helped to craft the sound of ballroom,’ and Dashaun and Leiomy are visible performers. 

While Law doesn’t have any obvious ballroom ties, he is part of the community that created voguing.

And that was a problem with Jameela, according to critics, who said she had no ties to voguing, and as a cisgender (her gender identity matches her sex) heterosexual woman, she isn’t an appropriate choice for the show. 

But now Jameela has taken to Twitter to say that she is, in fact, a member of the LGBTQ community. 

‘Twitter is brutal,’ she wrote. ‘This is why I never officially came out as queer. I added a rainbow to my name when I felt ready a few years ago, as it’s not easy within the south Asian community to be accepted, and I always answered honestly if ever straight-up asked about it on Twitter. 

‘But I kept it low because I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping, over something that caused me a lot of confusion, fear and turmoil when I was a kid. 

Pushed: She said she didn't want to come out, but the reaction on social media forced her to do so

Pushed: She said she didn’t want to come out, but the reaction on social media forced her to do so

‘I didn’t come from a family with *anyone* openly out. It’s also scary as an actor to openly admit your sexuality, especially when you’re already a brown female in your thirties.

‘This is absolutely not how I wanted it to come out, I’m jumping off this hell app for a while because I don’t want to read mean comments dismissing this. You can keep your thoughts.

‘I know that being queer doesn’t qualify me as ballroom. But I have privilege and power and a large following to bring to this show, (as does the absolutely iconic Megan Thee Stallion,) and its beautiful contestants and ballroom hosts.

‘Sometimes it takes those with more power to help a show get off the ground so we can elevate marginalized stars that deserve the limelight and give them a chance.

‘I’m not the MC. I’m not the main host. I’m just a lead judge due to my 11 years of hosting experience, being fully impartial, a newcomer to ballroom (like much of the audience will be) and therefore a window in for people who are just discovering it now, and being a longtime ally of the LGBTQ community.  

She said: ‘I kept it low because I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping, over something that caused me a lot of confusion, fear and turmoil when I was a kid’

‘We start shooting tomorrow and I’m really excited to watch these stars shine and be celebrated. I’m excited to work with Leiomy, Dashaun, and Mike Q. As I am with my friend Law Roach and Megan.

‘It’s f***ing hard to be asked to continue to be patient after so long of waiting for what you want. I know that. South Asian stories are almost never told without white stars.

‘But I hope you don’t let a few castings designed to help the show get off the ground stop you from supporting the talent from Ballroom on this show.

‘They really are f***ing amazing and I’m really honoured to work with them.’

Jameela’s response came in light of furious backlash on Twitter after the casting was announced.

Speaking out: Critics said she has no ties to voguing, and as a cisgender (her gender identity matches her sex) heterosexual woman, she isn't an appropriate choice for the show

Speaking out: Critics said she has no ties to voguing, and as a cisgender (her gender identity matches her sex) heterosexual woman, she isn’t an appropriate choice for the show

Some pointed out that she has no expertise in the subject. 

‘I don’t understand how a cishet person who (seemingly) isn’t a part of the ballroom scene is going to be judging a vogueing competition. I’m not even being shady, I genuinely don’t understand. What is the criteria for being a judge?’ wrote one critic.

Others said that voguing is LGBTQ+ culture, and thus the judges should be members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

‘So many queer Black & brown queer creatives and ballroom house members could have used this type of platform, especially one centered in our culture,’ wrote one.

Billy Porter is right there!!!!!!!!!! Indya Moore is right there!!!!!!!! Angelica!!!! Ross!!!! Is!!! Right!!!! There!!!!!!!!!’ another tweeted emphatically. 

‘There is nothing legendary about you erasing black queer culture like this. This just shows that diversity for you all is just ploy for money,’ said a third. 

No one else available? They said voguing is LGBTQ+ culture, and thus the judges should be members of the LGBTQ+ community

No one else available? They said voguing is LGBTQ+ culture, and thus the judges should be members of the LGBTQ+ community

And yet another wrote: ‘This is such an awful way to find out all the queer people have died. myself included.’

Several also took issue with the casting of Megan Thee Stallion, who is also cisgender and heterosexual — but Jameela is getting a bigger dose of criticism because of her outspokenness in being an ally and supporting marginalized people.

‘This seems sort of ironic in that @jameelajamil is apparently taking the place of an already underprivileged group in Hollywood… hopefully I’m misunderstanding?’ one critic tweeted.

‘Look the decision makers are def the problem but… if i had no personal background or connection to the vogueing/ballroom world and my brand was based on social justice and equity… there’d be no way i’d sign on to host… no matter how good the coin… but that’s me…’ said another.

‘A part of being an “ally” is knowing your lane and not swerving,’ said a third.

For her part, Jameela has defended her participation in the show, saying it’s a way to widen the audience. 

Strike a pose! Voguing started at 1960s New York drag competitions called 'balls,' in which black and Latino dancers would participate in voguing competitions

Strike a pose! Voguing started at 1960s New York drag competitions called ‘balls,’ in which black and Latino dancers would participate in voguing competitions

Iconic: It involved and grew in popularity through the '80s, eventually earning wider attention with Madonna's 1990 single Vogue

Iconic: It involved and grew in popularity through the ’80s, eventually earning wider attention with Madonna’s 1990 single Vogue

‘I know some of us aren’t from ballroom, but we are here to bring our followings, press and new audiences to the show, to support and celebrate the ballroom community. That is all,’ she said. 

Voguing evolved out of the 1960s Harlem ballroom scene. According to the National Museum of African American History & Culture, it started at New York drag competitions called ‘balls,’ in which black and Latino dancers would participate in voguing competitions.

The dance, which was named after the fashion magazine, involves exaggerated hand gestures and highlights gender as a performance.

It involved and grew in popularity through the ’80s, eventually earning wider attention with Madonna’s 1990 single Vogue.

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