Janelle Monáe dropped an F-bomb and flashed a middle finger on stage at the BET Awards on Sunday, blasting the U.S. Supreme Court for abolishing the constitutional right to abortion.
Monáe, who was a presenter, took to the stage and held up a middle finger as they took on the highest court, which on Friday overturned the 50-year-old Roe v. Wade precedent in a new case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
“I’d like to give a special, special shout-out to Black women, to Black queer artists, to Black nonbinary artists,” the entertainer said. “These artists making art on our own terms, owning our truths and expressing ourselves freely and unapologetically in a world that tries to control and police our bodies, my body, and our decisions, my decision.”
Then Monáe said, “F— you, Supreme Court.” The sound dropped out on the live BET telecast as the artist spoke, however.
“I know we are celebrating us right now, as we should — we absolutely deserve to celebrate — especially now,” Monáe continued. “We must celebrate our art by protecting our right and our truths.”
During her opening monologue at the BET Awards, actress Taraji P. Henson also spoke out about the Dobbs decision as well as another Supreme Court decision striking down a New York handgun control law. “It’s about time we talk about the fact that guns have more rights than a woman,” Henson said.
Monáe and Henson are among several artists to blast the Supreme Court from a stage over the weekend over the court’s decision. Phoebe Bridgers reacted by leading the Glastonbury music festival crowd in England in a chant of “F— the Supreme Court” during her set.
At the same music festival, Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen dedicated the song “F— You” to the court.
“I’m devastated and terrified that so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” Rodrigo said, bringing out Allen.
“I wanted to dedicated this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have shown us that, at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a s— about freedom,” she continued. “This song goes out to the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.”