‘let the vagina have a monologue’: janelle monáe has no time for mansplaining & queer-antagonism

Appearing to come out as bisexual with rumored girlfriend Tessa Thompson, fans of afrofuturist singer Janelle Monae are getting life from the queer-friendly themes expressed in her new music. In one of the two new videos, “Make Me Feel”, both lyrically and visually, Monae plays with gender fluidity and sexual ambiguity by playing on a theme of dualities: “It’s like I’m powerful with a little bit of tender/An emotional, sexual bender”.

Seemingly floating between multiple worlds of gendered expectations (as Thompson feeds her a penis-shaped lollipop?), Monae’s new work celebrates fluidity and sexuality and creating space with femmes and women to be sexual (with each other and otherwise), ‘Let the vagina have a monologue’! Here, here, sis.