Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' Is Her Gayest Album Yet — And It's Exactly What We Needed

Beyoncé accepts the Best Rap Performance award for "Savage" during the Grammy Awards in March 2021. Kevin Winter via Getty Images I can no longer find the tweet, so pardon my paraphrasing of it, but of all the initial reactions to Beyoncé’s seventh studio album, “Renaissance,” my favorite is the quip that it’s a record for “middle-aged gay men and Black women who post Issa Rae memes.” It’s insulting and lacking in perspective, but still hilarious for its phrasing and its kernel of accuracy. Ever Southern and self-affirming, only Beyoncé could mix gospel legend Twinkie Clark and bounce artist DJ Jimi to make an ass-throwing anthem called “Church Girl” that doesn’t feel sacrilegious. On “Cozy,” Beyoncé features two trans women, Ts Madison and Honey Dijon, while reciting lyrics like “Might I suggest you don’t fuck with my sis.” If you know Madison’s story and ascension and find her featured on this album, that’s a celebration in and of itself. In an open letter released in tandem with the album, Beyoncé dedicated “Renaissance” to the LGBTQ community as a whole, and in particular to her Uncle Jonny, an older cousin who died of HIV.