How many times does Cardi B have to say she’s gay before the internet will believe her? Apparently, at least one more confirmation was necessary, given the discourse around some of her latest selfies on social media.
Last Thursday, the rapper shared two pictures of herself on X with a controversial caption: “D*key B.”
Folks across the internet were immediately critical of Cardi’s word choice. Some people see “d*ke” as a slur that should never be used. Others see it as a reclaimed term of empowerment or a simple descriptor. Still others think it’s fine to use, so long as you’re part of the queer community — or specifically a queer woman — while others think only lesbians should ever use the term. (This author, for one, prefers to censor it, but the conversation is nuanced, to say the least. Learn more about the word’s history here.)
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Girly girls call themselves dykes whenever they wear pants and timbs 😭😭😭
— Moné (@Faith2Escape) December 13, 2024
THE RETURN OF SLURI B?? pic.twitter.com/knXdAUmVUl
— ✟ M0RTAL ✟ (@M0RTALATED) December 13, 2024
Related
The word dyke has been used in different ways throughout history.
One critique in particular caught Cardi’s attention: “b*tches put on pants and think they genderbending,” wrote one user in response to Cardi’s post.
Cardi, for her part, had a simple rebuttal: “Baby I BEND b*tches in REAL LIFE!” she wrote. Hard to argue with the facts.
Indeed, Cardi has always been openly bisexual, and this isn’t even the first time she’s dropped an iconic clapback to prove it. Back in 2022 when her identity was called into question on social media over a lack of “evidence,” she replied, “I ate b*tches out before you was born …..Sorry I don’t have razr phone pics to prove it to you.”
The discourse brings up an important aspect of bi erasure, that people don’t believe bi folks are actually bisexual unless they see evidence of them with people of multiple genders. But bi people — Cardi B included — don’t owe the public anything but their word. And clearly, Cardi is more than willing to stand by hers.
Related
“How can I be bisexual and then I’m gonna not date somebody else who’s bisexual?” Doechii asked. “Why, because he’s a man? Who cares?”
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