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Issa Rae Claps Back at the Biphobic Criticism of Her Upcoming Series
"I want to see all kinds of stories. We’re just scratching the surface."
Following last winter's announcement of her two new series, Issa Rae has responded to the criticism of Him or Her, a "single-camera half-hour chronicl[ing] the dating life of a bisexual black man and the distinctly different worlds and relationships he finds himself in."
Rae received some negative attention on social media from some conservative African-American fans who believed she was part of a movement to emasculate black men and even responded to comments on Instagram.
"Oh shit y'all caught me," Rae replied. "Let me call the Illuminati and tell them I've been compromised."
In a recent interview with Deadline, Rae responded to the harassment.
"I remember just being pissed all day," she said. "Sometimes you live in a bubble, you live in a liberal bubble where you think that everyone is open, and in my eyes progressive in a way where there are so many human experiences, black experiences, gender experiences."
She continued:
"There are so many stories to tell. The fear that a story like that would be told when it’s the story of so many other people is just absolutely ridiculous. The censorship and the idea that black men can’t be all things and still be black men is just absurd, it is."
There are plenty of stories to tell, and she's excited to be involved with Him or Her. "Telling all types of stories, straight, gay, trans, whatever it is. It’s not an experience that I have. But, I want to see all kinds of stories. We’re just scratching the surface, and there’s plenty of voices beyond me that are going to do that anyway."
Rae will be producing the show created by The Dailly Show writer Travon Free, who brought the concept to her.
"He said that episode of Insecure was a first time that he had felt like his story was being told in a way. And that conversation reflected so much of his personal experience. I think it was something that he’d been working on for a while, but I think that episode was just, 'Oh, I’ve got to get this story out there.' And so it coincided with, we were looking for fresh voices, and he pitched that and it really excited me, because I’ve just never seen anything on TV like that. I’m just rooting for his show and he’s still working on it. It’s still very early."
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
