Jada Pinkett Smith, Heteronormative

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith was recently honored at Harvard University by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. Her comments at the event caused quite a controversy. The campus newspaper writes

After some students were offended by Jada Pinkett Smith’s comments at Saturday’s Cultural Rhythms show, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA) and the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations have begun working together to increase sensitivity toward issues of sexuality at Harvard.

Students said that some of Pinkett Smith’s remarks concerning appropriate gender roles were specific to heterosexual relationships.

Her comments were termed "heteronormative" by BGLTSA co-chair Jordan Woods.

What were the comments that generated the controversy? A subsequent Crimson article says,

After being honored, Pinkett Smith gave a warm, teary thanks and shared life lessons with the audience.

“Don’t let anybody define who you are,” she said. “Don’t let them put you in a box. Don’t be afraid to break whatever ceiling anybody has put on you.”

She told the audience about her childhood with teenage parents both addicted to heroin, but triumphantly exclaimed, “I can stand here on this stage and say that I’ve proven them all wrong.”

She then addressed issues regarding the roles of men and women today.

“Women, you can have it all—a loving man, devoted husband, loving children, a fabulous career,” she said. “They say you gotta choose. Nah, nah, nah. We are a new generation of women. We got to set a new standard of rules around here. You can do whatever it is you want. All you have to do is want it.”

“To my men, open your mind, open your eyes to new ideas. Be open,” she added. In an interview after the show, Counter said Pinkett Smith was “the best we’ve had thus far.

I really believe there are people I term the professionally offended, people whose job it is to be offended by something as often as possible in order to get attention. So many in today's society want to focus on not offending people (hence the removal of anything remotely evocative of Jesus at Christmas). But when there are people who look for things to be offended by, that's a no-win goal.