Jade Jones, a Queer plus-sized Black woman, is the new Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Homophobic rappers keep coming at Lil Nas X. Cardi B. claps back at the homophobes. Sasha Allen and his dad join Ellen after they didn’t make it through to the finals of The Voice – Wednesday, January 5, 2022

There is a new Belle in town and her name is Jade Jones; a self-described Queer, plus sized Black woman. Homophobic rappers keep coming at Lil Nas X and Cardi B tells the people that being homophobic is just ugly. Sasha Allen shares with Ellen how he’s so glad he decided to come out as trans on The Voice.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:28 – The Qube Ad

00:51 – Intro Music

01:32 – There is a new Belle in town and her name is Jade Jones; a self-described Queer, plus sized Black woman

03:13 – Homophobic rappers keep coming at Lil Nas X and Cardi B tells the people that being homophobic is just ugly

04:04 – Sasha Allen shares with Ellen how he’s so glad he decided to come out as trans on The Voice

05:54 – Anna’s Got a Word

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About Queer News

An intersectional approach to a daily news podcast where race & sexuality meet politics, entertainment and culture. Tune-in to reporting which centers & celebrates all of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Hosted by Anna DeShawn. 7 minutes a day, 5 days a week, ready by 9 a.m.

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About this Episode

Family, this is your favorite Queer radio personality Anna DeShawn here with our Queer news from today.

There is a new Belle in town and her name is Jade Jones; a self-described Queer, plus sized Black woman. Homophobic rappers keep coming at Lil Nas X and Cardi B tells the people that being homophobic is just ugly. Sasha Allen shares how he’s so glad he decided to come out as trans on The Voice. 

Jade Jones is our leading story today and that can’t bring me more joy. Jade Jones is the latest Belle in the new production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”. Now what makes Jade Jones the leading story is that she’s not your typical Belle at the ball. She is a self-described Queer, plus-sized Black woman. Yes you heard me right. A Queer plus-sized Black woman is performing as Belle and winning audiences over! When Jones stepped on stage “Little Black girls in the audience screamed out, ”Is that Belle?” says tony-nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge. Dodge goes on to say, “And it’s not just a Black Belle who fits into the size 2 replica dress, but a plus-size Belle. So [all] little girls can dream big about them being princesses, too.” Dodge knew when she took over the production that she wanted to do it differently. Breathe new life into the take as old as time. Jade shared this, “I never imagined I would play a Disney princess in my entire life,” Jones said. “I mean, there were never any Disney princesses who looked like me…. It’s just a dream to do a show like this that I never thought I would be cast in. I’m living my musical theater dreams.” What’s really great is that the community has embraced the new interpretation and the theater has been overwhelmed by the response. I wish I was closer to Maryland to get a ticket and see the show for myself. The clips on YouTube look great and Jade Jones is a great talent. Moments like this happen because someone chooses to take a risk. Dodge took that risk and Jade was ready to meet the opportunity. Don’t get ready, stay ready family. You just never know. 

Next up, another rapper has come for Lil Nas X. They just seem obsessed. This time it was Brooklyn rapper Uncle Murda who released this 14 minute Rap Up that attacked a number of celebrities. Now the Rap Up is a long tradition that Mad Skillz started twenty years ago. It’s basically when rappers give their year in review. Well he went in on Lil Nas X too but not in the same way as Uncle Murda. Uncle Murda claims at the beginning that he would be talking “reckless respectfully” but there is nothing respectful about what he had to say. He says, “Lil Nas X gon’ catch AIDS and die like Eazy-E,” … “Hope the LGBTQ don’t cancel me/Like they tried to stop DaBaby from getting paid when he was talking about how they be giving each other AIDS.” Now in the words of Cardi B, “If you homophobic you just ugly.” And that’s just that. 

Every bad bitch have a gay best friend or gay best friend cousin ……If you homophobic you just ugly.

— Cardi B (@iamcardib) January 4, 2022

Our last story for today is about Sasha Allen. I reported on Sasha in early December because he’s the first out transgender person on the Voice to make it past the battle rounds. Sasha has been competing on the Voice as a duo with his dad and they made it to the top 8 but they didn’t get voted through to the finals. The semi-finals ain’t bad though, rite!. Well recently Sasha & his dad appeared on Ellen to talk about their journey on the Voice. Hear what Sasha had to say,” “. His dad Jim shared that it’s important for parents of trans kids to realize “that your child has been dealing with this for years, coming to terms with it, finally having the courage to talk about it openly…. That’s the time for a parent to listen, and to listen again, and slow down and listen some more. Because that’s our job as parents.” At the end of the interview they sang “Home” together and it’s up on Ellen’s YouTube channel. Check it out when you have a moment. 

Now family it’s time for my word of the day. Ya’ll know Anna’s always got a word. The word for today is joy. Joy unspeakable joy is what I seek every single day. I strive to not allow anyone or anything to steal it either. Joy is that intangible emotion that many don’t believe they deserve or can have everyday. Don’t believe it or own that narrative. You can have joy every day. It may not last for 24 hours but what if you could have it for a moment and then another moment and another. What if joy began to pile up in your life. I’m telling you it would cause a powerful shift in how you live. Till tomorrow family, peace.

Sources

There’s a new Belle in town — and she’s shattering all kinds of princess beauty standards

https://www.msnbc.com/know-your-value/there-s-new-belle-town-she-s-shattering-all-kinds-n1285221

Uncle Murda says Lil Nas X will ‘catch AIDS and die’ in disgusting new song Rap Up 2021

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/01/03/uncle-murda-lil-nas-x-aids-rap-up-2021/

Cardi B says that homophobes are “just ugly”

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/01/cardi-b-says-homophobes-just-ugly/