James Blake has some words for anyone who wants to come for his girlfriend, Jameela Jamil, after she was widely accused of faking various health problems for attention. James took to social media to address the situation and validate Jameela's medical issues, and to tell everyone to back off his lady.
"It's pretty disgusting to watch the woman I love just be dog piled on every day for such ridiculous things," he began the Notes app message. "She hasn't sold dangerous products to kids. She hasn't abused anyone. She hasn't funded anything dangerous or brought any deliberate harm to any marginalized group. She's done her best as an ever learning human, as most of us are, to help other people with her privilege. She does this because she had such a difficult life. Because she doesn't want others to feel alone, gaslit or ashamed the way she has."
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James goes on to list the various struggles he's witnessed Jameela go through with her body, in an effort to validate them to those who were skeptical. "I am there for her swollen joints, her dislocations, her severe allergic reactions, her constant high fevers," he writes. "I was there for her concussion, her 3 months of seizures, when the doctor fave her the cancer diagnosis, and for all her operations and their complications due to EDS. I can feel the lumps in her back from the car accident and see all the scars. I am there when she turns down amazing job opportunities because of her health limitations. I actually live with her. Her being attractive, tall, and successful doesn't mean she hasn't been sick."
He then describes the specific genetic connective tissue disorder Jameela does actually have. "Ehlers Danlos syndrome is a very real, very debilitating condition. More and more people are discovering they have it, but because it's vastly under researched and the patients, as with most invisible disabilities look well, people constantly doubt and mock those suffering. May none of us ever know the pain and frustration of that existence. I feel lucky not to, watching how many jobs and fun nights out my girlfriend has had to turn down because of what her body can and can't do. Huge, life changing jobs."
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He concludes his statement by challenging Jameela's haters to confront themselves and reevaluate what they're doing. "You don't know this woman. A lot of you literally think she's Tahani from the Good Place. You don't know what her life is, and has been like. But I do, and I'm not gonna stand by and let some total strangers try to push my girlfriend over the edge to what...stop her from helping kids with eating disorders? stop removing mainstream shame of talking about mental health? What are any of you even doing? And why are so many of you enjoying this? It's sick to watch, and I don't ever see men treated like this, the way we tear women from limb to limb."
The Internet began to "dog pile" onto Jameela by questioning the legitimacy of Jameela's health issues after she was heavily criticized for signing on to be a judge on the upcoming HBO voguing competition show, Legendary, in which eight different ballroom houses will compete for a grand prize. Folks expressed their disappointment that someone with no voguing experience was seemingly taking up space in the ballroom scene, which is a predominately black and Latino subculture of the LGBTQ community. Jameela attempted to defend her position and validate her decision by coming out as queer, which only landed her more scrutiny.
Jameela Jamil Comes Out As Queer
Jameela Jamil comes out after being criticized for her role as a judge on HBO's new voguing competition show, "Legendary."
On Wednesday, actress Jameela Jamil came out as queer on Twitter, after receiving plenty of backlash following the announcement that she would serve as a judge on HBO's new voguing competition show, Legendary. Jameela shared a statement to her Twitter account, revealing that she identifies as queer but that this is "not how I wanted it to come out."
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"Twitter is brutal. This is why I never officially came out as queer," Jameela wrote. "I added a rainbow to my name when I felt ready a few years ago, as it’s not easy within the south Asian community to be accepted, and I always answered honestly if ever straight-up asked about it on Twitter. But I kept it low because I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping, over something that caused me a lot of confusion, fear and turmoil when I was a kid. I didn't come from a family with *anyone* openly out. It's also scary as an actor openly admit your sexuality, especially when you're already a brown female in your thirties."
Jameela, who is well-known for her outspoken views on body positivity, goes on to note that she will be taking a break from Twitter. "I'm jumping off this hell app for a while because I don't want to read mean comments dismissing this. You can keep your thoughts." However, she wanted to first acknowledge the criticism she's received over her gig on Legendary, in which she will be judging eight different ballroom houses as they compete for a trophy and a cash prize. Many expressed their concerns that she was taking up undeserved space by getting hired on the show, as the ballroom scene is a predominately black and Latino subculture of the LGBTQ community. Many felt that her role should have been given to a person with a background in voguing, or at least someone within the LGBTQ community.
"I know that my being queer doesn't qualify me as ballroom. But I have privilege and power and a large following to bring to this show, (as does the absolutely iconic Megan Thee Stallion,) and it's beautiful contestants and ballroom hosts," Jameela explained. "Sometimes it takes those with more power to help a show get off the ground so we can elevate marginalized stars that deserve the limelight and give them a chance. I'm not the MC. I'm not the main host. I'm just a lead judge due to my 11 years of hosting experience, being fully impartial, a newcomer to ballroom (like much of the audience will be) and therefore a window in for people who are just discovering it now, and being a long time ally of the lgbtq community."
Legendary starts shooting on Thursday, and will air on HBO Max later this year. As Jameela mentioned, Megan Thee Stallion will also serve as a judge on the panel, along with stylist and former America’s Next Top Model judge Law Roach, and ballroom legend Leiomy Maldonado. Ballroom veteran Dashaun Wesley will provide commentary and DJ MikeQ will handle the turntable. "I hope you don't let a few castings designed to help the show get off the ground stop you from supporting the talent from Ballroom on this show," Jameela concluded. "They really are f*cking amazing and I'm really honoured to work with them."