Gabrielle Union supports ‘Birth of a Nation’ boycotts

Gabrielle Union isn't upset with people who chose to boycott Birth of a Nation over the controversy concerning Nate Parker's rape scandal.

TheGrio Staff

Oct 12, 2016

Gabrielle Union isn’t upset with people who chose to boycott Birth of a Nation over the controversy concerning Nate Parker’s rape scandal, even with the dismal box office performance of the film hurting its award chances.

“As a rape survivor and as an advocate, I cannot shy away from this responsibility because the conversation got difficult,” she explained in her new Essence cover story. “I don’t want to put myself above anyone’s pain or triggers. Every victim or survivor, I believe you. I support you. I support you if you don’t want to see the film. I absolutely understand and respect that. I can’t sell the film.”

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She added that the other women who were part of the film felt the same way, saying, “We are okay if you have to sit this one out, and we’re okay if you don’t.”

Other stars have added to Union’s sentiments, with Aunjanue Ellis telling BuzzFeed, “You will have black women having to make the choice of, Am I going to be black or am I going to be a woman? What am I doing here? What am I doing? And I think it’s a conversation that needs to happen.”

“It also breaks my heart that there are a contingency, or a community, of folks who are going to stay home because they feel like to see it would be anti-feminist … They feel that they have to stand in solidarity with the woman who was abused, and I understand that wholly,” she added.

Aja Naomi King also told the L.A.Times, “I don’t want to diminish anyone’s feelings. At the end of the day, seeing the film or not seeing the film is not going to change the world. Changing the world is going to change the world. The film was meant to start a conversation.”