Lee Daniels uses Empire to highlight homophobia in the Black community

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest updates from Unheard Voices

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, well at the television rock, everyone has been talking about the new FOX series Empire.

Executive produced by Lee Daniels (Precious, The Butler), Empire follows the lives of a musical royal family in the height of their dynasty.

Daniels, who is known for his incredible body of work, is reportedly using Empire to highlight homophobia in the black community.

After watching the first episode of Empire, there was a clear indication of a gay undertone in the show and Daniels is doing an epic job portraying it in the show.

According to the Huffington Post,  Daniels is using Empire to expose the serious problem of homophobia that he feels is running “rampant” in the Black community.

They don’t come out, because your priest says, your pastor says, mama says, your next-door neighbor says, your homie says, your brother says, your boss says [that homosexuality is wrong]. And they are killing African American women. They are killing our women. So I wanted to blow the lid off more on homophobia in my community.

Empire is already a hit for Daniels as it was renewed for a second season with only being three episodes in.

Starring the likes of Terrance Howard and Taraji P. Henson, Howard, who sits at the helm of his hip-hop recording label dynasty, has a gay son with Henson.

Howard seemingly despises his son because of his sexual preference and is estranged from him.

The award winning director said portions of the storyline reflect upon his childhood and his turbulent relationship with his own father, who beat him regularly because he had no understanding of his ‘gay son’.

Daniels said one of the most difficult scenes to film was a scene in which he threw little Jamal into a trashcan after finding him wearing his mother’s shoes and scarf. The scene was inspired by Daniels’ own life.

When Daniels was 5 years old, his father beat him for wearing his mother’s heels.

“My dad was playing cards one Sunday with his cop friends,” Daniels said in a 2013 interview with Larry King, “and I put on my mother’s red pumps and walked down the stairs…and then I got beat. He beat me severely for it.”

It is refreshing to see Lee Daniels using his voice to shine light on homophobia in brown and Black communities.

It is apparent through the storyline, Daniels is attempting to increase tolerance about the issue with the audience. And it is most certainly an issue that needs to be touched on.

Empire airs on Wednesdays, 9 p.m. EST/8 pm C on Fox.