Marlon Wayans has a new comedy special, Good Grief, that premiered on Amazon Prime this month. Since June is also Pride Month, Marlon posted a picture on his Instagram from a shoot he did that featured a variety of rainbow props. In the post he wished everyone a Happy Pride, and casually mentioned at the end that his special was out. That was it. Except then social media did what social media does: his post was flooded with hateful comments and he lost 10,000 subscribers. So then Marlon Wayans did what he does: he posted more pics from that photo shoot, featuring more rainbow props, and he doubled down on his message of loving your community, your friends, and your family. For Marlon, that includes his gender nonbinary child Kai. THR caught up with Marlon to talk about what went down this past week:
On getting Kai’s pronouns right: The pronouns are he and they. That took a while to get. I still slip up. But they give me grace. I think parents of trans kids and their families have to transition with them. It takes time and it takes respect and it takes effort. They’re like, “I get it, Dad. At least you’re trying. I’m proud of you.”
‘Just love and let go’: I’m always going to protect my child. I’m always going to protect my friends. I have a lot of gay friends. I work in this industry. You know what I’m saying? Hairdressers and acting coaches. I went to performing arts high school, so none of this is new to me. When are people going to just let it go, man? Just love and let go.
On the photo shoot: At one point my tour was going to be called Skittles, so we had a bunch of rainbow-colored props sitting around. So I had these great photos and it was Pride Month. And I was like, “You know what? I’m to honor my child and I’m going to honor my friends and the community with a post saying, ‘Hey, Happy Pride and I’m rooting for you. I celebrate with you. I support you and I love y’all.’”
The Insta reaction: When I did the first post, I didn’t think I was going to be met with any kind of hate. And, my God, when I got hit with that flood of hate, the only thing I could do is post again. I’m a troll. So when I get negative energy, it was like being onstage and getting heckled. I’m going for you. You’re not going to win this contest. What I’m not going to let you do is bully the people that I love. Not on my watch. And then I got more hate all over again. So I posted again. “I could do this all day.” Because this is my child. I’m a father. I’m a son. I’m a brother. I’m a friend. I’m an uncle. Those are the titles that mean something to me. When I’m in protection mode, I don’t care. I’ll lose every last single follower to protect my children, period. I posted four more times and then a fifth one, just to be a troll. And when I felt the hate, I’d say, “Keep it up. I got about 60 more pictures.”
Love your children: I think everybody needs to be decent. This is my child. And some people are like, “You’re tearing apart the Black family.” I’m like, “No. YOU’RE tearing apart the family. I’m doing what you do to keep your family a unit. You love your children. You made those children — love your damn kids. You don’t ostracize people because of their sexuality or anything else. That is your child. Find a way to love them, because if you don’t love your children, I believe you don’t love yourself.”
“Find a way to love them, because if you don’t love your children, I believe you don’t love yourself.” Nailed it. However much time Marlon needed to transition with Kai, he’s always been fully supportive of his kid at all the steps along the way. Marlon and Dwyane Wade have really been showing the world how simple and beautiful it is to love your child for who they are. It may not always be easy, but dang it’s got to be a million times easier than not letting yourself love your kid, right? And of course, I love that Marlon just kept showing up with post after post after post. Thank goodness he nearly called his tour Skittles! (That’s a backstory I’d love to know more about.) I can’t put it better than to quote Marlon from one of his posts this week: Happy F–king Pride Bitches!!!
MORE OF THIS. Thank you!!!
I believe when we stay silent while others spew hate, we signal tacit approval of that hate.
This man- grateful he’s a good parent, grateful he has a voice.
I love the plain, easy logic.
You’re a parent- love your child.
Warms my heart.
Loved him since In Living Color. Stayed a fan. I followed him so fast.
OMG I love this! Happy Pride, y’all and Go Marlon and Kai!!! it’s great to hear that there are actually good people out there. we need more of this! thanks for covering this story, Kismet.
“No. YOU’RE tearing apart the family. I’m doing what you do to keep your family a unit. You love your children. You made those children — love your damn kids. You don’t ostracize people because of their sexuality or anything else. ”
Wow, how people can’t understand this simple thing. I don’t see people yelling at those parents who reject their gay children that they are ruining their family unit. I love seeing these fathers standing up for their children loud and proud. He is right, you don’t have to understand, all you have to do is love your child and be there for them instead of spreading hate to the world.
The “you’re tearing up the family” hit me too. That’s the perfect way to put it!
It’s really that simple. His response is perfect. “No. YOU’RE tearing apart the family.”
I grew up without a dad so good dad stories always get me right in the feels. He is an amazing dad and a wonderful ally. Love this story 🏳️🌈💕🏳️⚧️
All of this. Go Marlon. We love our brave children unconditionally and any parent who doesn’t is trash. Happy Pride Month Bishes! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️♥️
Love this article. More please.
Yes, please. The last few years were awful for anyone but straight white males.
“Just love and let go.”
Perfection.
5 simple words.
Going up on our breakroom board this week.
I have no idea who he is but I just started following him.
Yup, me, too. I don’t even follow celebrities but this time I do. Get this guy another 10,000 and then some.
I want to know who are the 10k he lost? Why were they following him to begin with? They saw the name Wayans and didn’t think he’d be going all out to love, support and protect his kids?! They aren’t the BRF. They are a proper family who have always stood by each other. Not on some syncopation bs either. Cuz there is definitely an interview where Shawn got on Marlon for his drinking and it was live.
So happy for Kai to have a father like Marlon — and good on him that he will keep this up for the rest of the month.
Happy Pride… and, guess what?
I followed him too!
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
It’s like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union. People are so mad that he is not ostracizing his child or beating them upside the head with the Bible. I always wonder what is so triggering about this. Are these hateful people resentful of the fact that they were forced to conform to certain behaviors and lifestyles that they didn’t want? Are they suppressing something and feel they can’t be who they are and resent the fact that they can’t live their lives the way they want? You don’t love your child if it’s conditional.
I watched his special and he talks about the grief of taking care of a sick parent and the death of said parent. He still has alot of hurt over the death of his mother. I think that the way his mom loved her 10 kids unconditionally is the way he wants to love all his kids and their journeys.
Let me know when he apologizes for all the misogynoir and general anti-Blackness he has contributed to over the years. Still haven’t forgotten how he and his brother humiliated Macy Gray at the VMAs.
Borg, my June 25 comment was supposed to be it’s own comment, not a reply to you so I am not sure why it showed up here. Didn’t want you thinking I was saying that in response to your nice comment.
Bravo Marlon! What an upstanding father…I had a deadbeat dad, so just hearing how he loves and protects his child warms my heart! Love is love! XOXO
Just love and let go.
Why do some people try to make it complicated when it really is just that simple?
I don’t know his comedy but I love how he’s handling this and how thoughtfully he’s making his points. Thanks for covering this.
🌈❤️
Well guess I have a special to watch on Prime. I have a trans daughter, she is absolutely gorgeous. Transitioning with her was easier for me then for my husband because I myself am bi-sexual. Our youngest daughter is bi-sexual and asexual. We both love our daughters with everything we have, for which there are no limitations to the amount of love we have to give. So yes Marlon just gained one more viewer for his special. He’ll get another one once I tell my husband.
I love this so much.