Jamaican entertainer Tanya Stephens continues to defend her controversial stance on cultural icon Louise Bennett-Coverley.
Stephens received backlash after defending what have been perceived as disparaging remarks against ‘Miss Lou’ made by fellow entertainer Ishawna.
Ishawna triggered a firestorm of negative comments against her when she stated on her Instagram page last week that she “nuh wear tablecloth like Miss Lou”.
Stephens afterwards slammed Ishawna’s critics, saying: “Jamaicans really need to stop mandating their self-imposed limitations.”
She also challenged those criticizing Ishawna to post a photo of themselves dressing like ‘Miss Lou’ or a video of themselves reciting one of the icon’s poems.
Stephens elaborated on her stance in a video posted on her Instagram page. In response to the argument that Miss Lou allowed the Jamaican patois dialect to be generally accepted from people like herself, Stephens said: “She didn’t liberate me… as soon as I was born, I was talking patois.”
She also argued that the bandana outfit worn by Miss Lou represented servitude and not anything that was uplifting to her.
Watch the video below.
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