If you think you aren't valid for whatever reason, let my existence and the way the world embraces my existence tell you that you are valid. You deserve to look, live, and walk through the world however you see fit. That's why I find it extremely important to be so out, so black, and so myself.
Interpretation
Everyone has inherent value and deserves to express themselves authentically.
Lena Waithe's quote emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and authenticity. It serves as a reminder that despite personal insecurities, each individual is valid and should embrace their true self without fear of judgment. The speaker's own existence is a testament to this truth, encouraging others to live freely and confidently in their identities.
In practice
During a motivational speech about embracing individuality.
As a black woman in the industry, you really do have to hold your head higher, stick your chest out, be kind and polite and generous even when you don't want to be sometimes. I learned that and, also, just to never take no for an answer.
Being a black lesbian myself, I roll my eyes a little bit when I see black lesbian characters on shows where it's purely there for decoration. You can just hear it in the writers room... 'What if we make her a lesbian?'
It's weird because I see black gay characters on television all the time, but do I relate to them? Not always, because they're set pieces.
The cool thing about dope black style becoming in style is that the industry has no choice but to try and reduplicate that.
For me, it's about making art that's not good but phenomenal. James Baldwin didn't want to just stay above the fray. Prince didn't think, 'I wonder what the industry is gonna think about 'Purple Rain.'' It's just, is this honest? Is this real? Does this move me? The rest is icing.
Being born gay, black, and female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay black female is.
I tell young people: Do not think of yourself, think of others. Think of the future that awaits you, think about what you can do and do not fear anything.
When I turned on the TV or the radio, and flicked to the newspaper, I never saw anyone like me. That's what I struggled with the most. I loved Pat Rafter. I couldn't be Pat Rafter. I watched Rove McManus and I couldn't be Rove either.
I was sold on flying as soon as I had a taste for it.
You have to recover the capacity to imagine yourself as an ideal and figure out how to project that into the world.
Create the world you want, and fill it with the opportunities that matter to you.
You are the only one of you. From the beginning of time till the end of this world to the end of eternity. There's only one of you ever created. Ev-er. You are the only you. That's pretty powerful. So why on earth would you want to look like anybody else, dress like anyone else, dance like anyone else, be someone else, when you are a legend in your own right?
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.