feature image by George Rose/Getty Images
If I have loved just one thing in this life, it would for sure be Whitney Elizabeth Houston (or as real fans call her, Nippy). Raised by an army of colorful black women, I couldn’t escape awe of her talent, radiance, and undeniable star-power. Shit, my mom played The Bodyguard soundtrack so often it nearly burned a hole in the CD. With this mountain of influence, it’s no surprise I’ve inherited the Nippy Standom Gene. And as I grow into my adulthood, I’ve realized I’m not alone.
I met up with a friend some time ago for drinks and to catch up after months of not talking. We call each other “twin” because of our similar masc-presenting styles, joint love for dark liquor, and our pickiness when it comes to girls (a story for another time). In the middle of our conversation, she noticed my phone lock screen features a classic picture of Whitney during her I’m Your Baby Tonight era.
“Is that Nippy?” she asked me, eyes wide like a gay baby deer’s.
“Uhh, yes,” I responded.
On paper, this is the simplest of interactions. However, the energy mirrored Will Ferell and John C Reily in Step Brothers saying “Did we just become best friends?”…….“Yup!”
We spent the rest of the night talking about the different eras of Whitney and why we love her so much. It was magical.
It hasn’t stopped there. Every time I’m around a masc Black lesbian and Whitney Houston comes up, I witness the same look of warm admiration wash across their face. I even see this appreciation beyond my inner circles. For example, superhero lesbian extraordinaire Lena Waithe has often gone on record with her love for Nippy. She’s even gone as far as releasing Beauty, a Netflix film with an undeniably striking resemblance to Whitney’s life. Now, I know masc Black lesbians are not a monolith and aren’t required to stan all of the same people but, come on. It’s Whitney Houston. Who’s hating her?
So, this had me think: “Self, where does all of this admiration come from?” Ah great question, Tima. You’re so smart. Why do Black mascs love us some Whitney Houston? Let’s investigate.
Through research and my own introspection, I believe I’ve gotten down to the root of our love. The first obvious reason is her beauty and talent. All you have to do is close your eyes and listen to the first 30 seconds of “I Will Always Love You” to understand why this woman is beyond human. Known to many as simply “The Voice”, Whitney’s five-octave, bright vocal range is enough to make anyone fall in love. But the beauty of her voice didn’t stop at her recorded music. Her stage presence and ability to convey the utter emotion of a song is a masterclass in live performance. At the 1994 American Music Awards, she performed a 10-minute medley of the songs “I Loves You, Porgy”, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, and “I Have Nothing”. Any singer will tell you these songs are hard by themselves. Singing them all together, in one take, and on live television is borderline vocal autosadism. Whitney not only crushes the musicality of this performance but commands the stage despite literally never moving from one spot. One thing is clear: Her star power is undeniable.
Another reason I think Black mascs love Ms. Houston is because of her long-term beautifully complicated relationship with her best friend Robyn Crawford. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I HAD A CHANCE????? I’m sorry. I’m projecting. Anyways, children gather around the fireplace to hear the beautiful story of Nippy and Robyn. In the summer of 1980, Whitney and Robyn met as teenagers when they were paired as counselors for a summer camp in East Orange, New Jersey. They hit it off immediately and began a beautiful friendship that ebbed and flowed between romantic expression and platonic loyalty. Things became difficult when Whitney faced pushback from her religious family and salacious stories from the press. According to Crawford’s memoir A Song For You, at the start of her career, Whitney put an end to their romantic relationship by gifting her a Bible and expressing her fear of condemnation. Though their love affair was over, Whitney hired Robyn to be her creative assistant, and they remained best friends for 20 years. Robyn stuck by Whitney’s side through addiction struggles, toxic relationships, and the chaos of the music industry. Robyn’s quiet and constant presence strikes a sense of familiarity for all of us who’ve had to sacrifice loving someone out loud for their own safety. I think that’s where our love comes from. At some point in our life, we’ve either been with Whitney or were Whitney.
The last reason we have this adoration is because of her auntie-like charm. Whitney was initially packaged as the Black All-American Pop Princess, but real Nippy stans know her actual personality was far from it. She was a true Jersey girl with sass and a sharp-witted tongue that would give us meme material for the rest of our lives. During interviews, she would often make it clear she only wanted to SING and nothing else. She wasn’t here for the cameras, ball gowns, or press junctions. I can see that down-to-earth energy feeling very familiar for many Black mascs (especially from someone who was raised by Black women cut from a similar cloth). But despite her no-nonsense attitude, Whitney also maintained a reputation for being warm and enthusiastic towards the younger generation. From mentoring “The Vocal Bible” Brandy, to her sheer joy presenting Lauryn Hill with the 1999 Grammy Album of The Year, all the way to performing at NY Pride 1999 (when interviewers sneerily asked her why she responded “We are all God’s children”), Whitney remained the industry’s favorite proud auntie.
On February 11, 2012, Nippy left this world and a hole in all of our hearts. It’s astounding how even beyond the grave she’s managed to make folks like me feel seen, held, and love-stricken. Sure, this piece stands on the premise of Black mascs loving her, but I realize she’s had that effect on so many other people, too. As I comb through fan interviews, concert footage, and public appearances, I see a spectrum of spirits and identities all with love in their eyes. It’s clear she’s touched as many lives as a heart can hold. Though her love is universal, I will always have a special appreciation for the subtle thread she created that’s connected me to other Black mascs. Everyone loves “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” but nothing compares to the special masc magic of bonding with someone who looks like me over Whitney and Robyn-lore, referencing one of her snappy Black auntie one-liners, and fawning over her beauty. Nippy has always loved us, and so we will always love her. See what I did there? Happy Birthday, Whitney.
nice
Happy (belated) birthday Whitney.
And thank you so much for this beautiful essay. I learned so much. Like, I had NO IDEA that Whitney met Robyn at summer camp. I too met a beautiful girl with a beautiful voice when I was a camp counselor (and I really had no idea why I was so dazzled by her, but that’s another story)
This is so beautiful.