Justin Timberlake has been confirmed to do the 2018 Superbowl halftime show. You may remember that he did it once before in 2004, with Janet Jackson. During the event, a costume malfunction created a moment where Janet Jackson's nipple was visible. Justin pulled the costume off, but Janet was the one who got slut shamed and trashed for indecency.
We demand that Janet Jackson be invited back to the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Justin Timberlake. At the very least, Timberlake should issue a public apology to Janet Jackson.
It's so typical for people to blame women and women's bodies whenever something deemed offensive happens. The truth is, Janet has nipples -- it's perfectly human! -- and there was a costume malfunction. Women's bodies are not inherently offensive. It really wasn't the crime that everyone made it out to be. Yet the fact that the Super Bowl is bringing Justin back to do the halftime show again and not inviting Janet speaks volumes to the sexist nature of the response after the 2004 "nipplegate" event.
At the time of "nipplegate," everyone was blasting Janet for her indecency, but very few said anything about Justin, even though he was the one that ripped the costume.
Later that year, Janet was disinvited from presenting at the Grammy's, which air on the same network (CBS) while Justin went, presented an award and won an award. Viacom also blacklisted her, keeping her music off MTV, VH1, and radio stations around the country.
Just another example of sexism in the entertainment industry, which cannot be tolerated.
Timberlake told
MTV in 2006 that he "probably got 10% of the blame," and that America is "unfairly harsh on ethnic people."
That's just it. America shames Black women and their bodies while men continue to get a free pass.In January 2017, he said of the incident, "What do you want me to say?" He said he made peace with Jackson, but he needs to apologize publicly for his role in her shaming.
Please sign this petition to demand #JusticeForJanet: Tell Justin Timberlake and the Super Bowl to invite her to perform, and at the very least, tell Timberlake he should apologize publicly. 