bbmas 2018

Janet Jackson Lends Her Voice to #MeToo Movement: ‘We Will No Longer Be Controlled, Manipulated, or Abused’

Accepting her Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards as the first black female recipient in its history, Janet Jackson used the first half of her speech to speak indirectly about the #MeToo movement, referring to it as a watershed moment for women. Here is an excerpt from her speech, which tied her message back to her faith:

I believe that for all our challenges, we live in a glorious moment in history. It’s a moment when, at long last, women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated, or abused. I stand with those women and with those men equally outraged by discrimination, who support us in heart and mind. This is also a time when our public discourse is loud and harsh. My prayer is that weary of such noise, we turn back to the source of all calmness. That source is god.

Watch her full speech above.

Janet Jackson Gives #MeToo Speech at BBMAs