B. Scott is already well known for their news breaking website LoveBScott, but their latest venture marks a return to BET & will be giving a voice to the LGBTQ community in the process. Last week, Black Entertainment Television (BET) announced the launch of the show Twenties The After Show, the new program airing after each episode of the returning series Twenties. The show will be hosted by “The Queen of Tea” B. Scott, marking them as the first trans non-binary host and producer in the network’s history. This will also be Scott’s first return to the network itself in eight years.
“I am proud to make history as the first trans non-binary person to host and executive produce a show at BET.” Scott said in a statement. Many will recall however, that this is not Scott’s first foray onto BET. In 2013, Scott was pulled from the air when working as a correspondent on the red carpet for the 106 & Park Pre-Show and allegedly asked to change their attire, despite it being pre-approved. The network later apologized, claiming it was “a series of unfortunate miscommunications” and that it regretted “any unintentional offense to B. Scott and anyone within the LGBT community.” Scott considered the apology not sufficient, and filed a $2.5 million dollar discrimination lawsuit, seeking damages (which was eventually settled out of court).
BET seems to be working to be more inclusive themselves in the past few years; working towards inclusivity of black LGBTQ entertainers and collaborating with media advocacy group GLAAD, working to make the Twenties after-show “an esteemed roster of Black LGBTQ+ voices that haven’t always been given a platform to share their personal experiences.”
Season 1 of Twenties starred Gabrielle Graham, Sophina Brown, Christina Elmore, and out actress Jonica Gibbs. The showcases Gibbs’ queer character and life with her two straight best friends, played by Graham and Elmore. The show comes direct from out actress and screenwriter, Lena Waithe.
Thank you so much @glaad, @NickGAdams and @anderfinn for helping me throughout this entire process. I truly appreciate your support! 🙏🏽💕 https://t.co/YMCxtdXhTZ
— lovebscott (@lovebscott) March 11, 2021
Scott has also recently come out as non-binary. In a guest post to the GLAAD website, Scott said
“I’ve never really been into using labels to describe myself, because I already know who I am,” they write. “But as the world around me has grown and expanded its vocabulary, I understand how important it can be to use labels as a means of seeing ourselves, expanding our worlds, and finding community. “Because of that… I feel compelled to say this: I am a trans non-binary person and I use them/they pronouns. My gender identity, who I am on the inside, doesn’t fit the binary labels of ‘man’ or ‘woman’.” They ended by saying, “I’m still the B. Scott you’ve always known me to be. I’m just clarifying a bit more about me, in my own words, because being able to name ourselves and be understood by others is important.”
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