BET Awards: Janelle Monae Says F*** You, Supreme Court During Live Telecast, Watch Video Here

After the Supreme Court's decision on Friday to reverse Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion in all 50 states, the celebrities at the BET Awards wasted no time in denouncing the court. During the live event that took place on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Janelle Monáe, the first presenter of the evening, raised her middle finger and said, "F### you, Supreme Court," from the podium. Although the vulgarity was bleeped out during the broadcast, her middle-finger gesture was visible.

“I’d like to give a special, special shoutout to Black women, to Black queer artists, to Black nonbinary artists,” Monáe 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.”

Following Lizzo's rendition of "About Damn Time," the show's host, Taraji P. Henson, spoke in the opening remarks about the Supreme Court decision. Lizzo's Friday announcement that she would be giving $500,000 to Planned Parenthood and that Live Nation would match that donation with another $500,000 was praised by Henson.

Henson thanked Lizzo for her donation of $1,000,000 to Planned Parenthood. And you're right, it's long overdue. We need to finally assert our power. It's past time to address the issue of weapons having more rights than women. America is having a gloomy day.

"A weapon that can take lives has more power than a woman, who can give life—if she chooses to," the actress continued.

Although she didn't specifically mention the Supreme Court or abortion, Jazmine Sullivan, the night's first best R&B/pop artist winner, spoke on the subject throughout her time on stage. As always, the singer remarked, "I do this for the women, especially for my sisters." We're going through a tough moment right now, and I want to address the men specifically. We require you. You all need to stand up. Stand with us and for us in this.

Sullivan continued, “If you have ever benefited from a woman making one of the toughest decisions of her life, which is to terminate a pregnancy, you need to be standing with us. This is not just a woman’s issue. This is everybody’s issue, and we need your support more than ever, OK, fellas. Y’all got us? Because we’ve got y’all. Y’all got us?”

In her own award speech, Latto—the best new artist winner—said, "It's giving pro-choice. It's never okay for a man to control my body.

“F*** you, Supreme Court” - Janelle Monae

I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT🔥🔥🔥#BETAwards pic.twitter.com/4A22ejpKr2

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) June 27, 2022

The Sistas cast members spoke on the Supreme Court ruling later in the evening. Cast member Novi Brown remarked on stage, "We are sisters not just in front of the camera, but also in real life." "It's time for sistas all around the world to join hands and lift our voices in light of the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade and political developments affecting our nation."