Occasional LGBTQ ally Nicki Minaj is being accused of peddling harmful bisexual stereotypes in her new single.
In the song “Say So” remix with Doja Cat, Minaj claims she’s no longer bisexual. During the song’s outro, she raps, “Used to be bi, but now I’m just hetero.”
But many on Twitter find the throwaway lyric problematic, feeling it perpetuates outdated and negative ideas about bisexuals.
Nicki Minaj reveals she’s no longer Bisexual ? pic.twitter.com/j68DkNakAu
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) May 1, 2020
nicki minaj singing "used to be bi but now i’m just hetero" is so problematic. people are gonna take that to justify saying that bisexuality is just a phase which it 100% isn’t so conclusion: fuck nicki minaj and her rapist of a husband.
— ????? (@fukctherich) May 2, 2020
I know Nicki Minaj did NOT just said “used to be bi now I’m just hetero” …. this ain’t it …. delete immediately
— czam ?? (@czamiaa) May 1, 2020
Nicki Minaj leaving the bisexual community (2020) pic.twitter.com/Vxgt7S8T0m
— love chromatica (@lovechromatica) May 2, 2020
That Nicki verse is so gross… “I used to be bi but now I’m just hetero” yes thank you that makes bisexuals look great that makes the entire LGBT community look great thank you so much
— the emma amber keeps seeing on twitch (@everforemma) May 1, 2020
doja cat, having had a homophobia controversy before, heard nicki minaj rap "use to be bi but now i'm just hetero" and still thought, "yeah, that sounds fine". i can't with neither of these girls ever ? fucking ? learning! ?
— Caleb (@itscalebryan) May 1, 2020
nicki minaj leaving the bisexual community pic.twitter.com/C9i6D3JPnw
— kwis?? (@euphomoria) May 1, 2020
who told nicki minaj that “used to be bi but now i’m just hetero” should go in a song? y’all coulda been honest with her
— Bex (@BexShoots) May 3, 2020
So, I've never been a Nicki Minaj fan, but now she has grown that into an avid disgust. "Used to be Bi, now I'm just hetero" is the exact shit that perpetuates one of the largest stigmas that bisexual individuals fight in both the straight and queer communities.
— The Lady Shady ??? ? (@theladyofshade) May 4, 2020
In 2010, Minaj talked briefly about her sexuality with Rolling Stone, explaining that, in her beginning of her career, she pretended to like girls to “get attention.”
“I think girls are sexy,” she said. “But I’m not going to lie and say that I date girls.”
Related: 7 celebrities accused of queerbaiting: James Franco, Nick Jonas, and more
Of course, Minaj is not the first pop star to be accused of getting it wrong about bisexuality.
Last year, singer Liam Payne received criticism for his song “Both Ways,” which detailed a sexual encounter with a man and two women.
Many felt the song’s lyrics perpetuated passé stereotypes often attached bisexual people, particularly bisexual women. Payne later apologized for it.
Related: Liam Payne finally addresses accusations of biphobia following the release of his last album
