Janet Jackson on #MeToo: 'We will no longer be controlled, manipulated, or abused'

Jackson saluted the movement accepting the Billboard Icon Award.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Janet Jackson on #MeToo: 'We will no longer be controlled, manipulated, or abused'
"We live at a glorious moment in history." Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

At the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, Janet Jackson became the first black woman to receive the Icon Award.

Joining the likes of Prince, Cher, Jennifer Lopez and Stevie Wonder, the artist said she was "deeply humbled" by the award and used the moment to salute the #MeToo movement.

"For all the challenges, for all our challenges, we live at a glorious moment in history," Jackson told the audience, who had been chanting her name.

"It's a moment when at long last women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated, or abused. I stand with those women, and with those men equally outraged by discrimination who support us in heart and mind."

Jackson also spoke of her faith: "This is also a moment when our public discourse is loud and harsh. My prayers that worry of such noise, we turn back to the source of all calmness—that source, that source is God."

Artists who receive Billboard's Icon Award also perform at the ceremony, and boy, aren't we glad she did. The singer made the speech shortly after performing a medley of her dance-pop hits "Nasty," "If" and "Throb," ending a nine-year hiatus on televised performances.

Here's hoping the NFL was watching.

Topics Music

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Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

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