They Say to Never Meet Your Idols
Before entering college in 2012, I went to Vidcon, a convention for content creators primarily on YouTube. Even back then, I cringed at the thought of yelling across the street to simply say hello to two big British twins who were big on YouTube at the time; and yes, I actually did that. I never really viewed my "idols" as above me because they are just human beings doing their jobs. They have a whole PR team who tell them what and what not to say. Your biggest idols hired a social media assistant because they are too busy to look or even care about their Instagrams. I would not consider myself someone who has had experience with parasocial relationships because I know how it would feel if someone treated me like that, and they have.
Meeting Janelle Monáe was an incredible experience. Not only did I get to spend hours with one of my favorite friends, Daizy, a fellow sex worker who can charm her way into your life, but I also got to experience San Francisco all to myself. Haight-Ashbury, known as the hippie district, is a colorful row of (expensive) vintage shops and boutiques. Along with the eclectic bars and restaurants, it's a vibrant place at night where the hipsters go to hidden shows hosted by the people who live there. I thought SF was the perfect place to meet Janelle. It’s a sex-positive city with a high amount of sex workers and queer folx! I sincerely hope Janelle Monáe took advantage of this historically queer city and paid homage to the colonized Ohlone land.
I didn't want to make Janelle Monáe uncomfortable because I know celebrities deal with a lot. Despite their fame, we shouldn't put them on a pedestal. I'm also not going to lie to you all and say I wasn't nervous because I was. I've been a fan of Janelle Monáe since her 2003 release of Lettin' Go. It was around high school when I discovered Janelle and resonated with her lyrics and themes. Their last album, Dirty Computer, really changed my life; I want a specific lyric tattooed somewhere on my body. I love my "idols," but will respect them at all times.
