'Sistas' Season 2 Episode 6 Review: Maurice's powerful LGBTQIA+ speech will stay etched in your memory forever
Spoilers for 'Sistas' Season 2
While the entirety of 'That Look' did focus on the girl gang and their or their lack of significant others, we didn't forget that Maurice (Brian Jordan Jr), one of the favorite characters was the center of attention at his party. His "Welcome Back" party was bittersweet — we were happy that he's safe and sound, but the circumstances that ended with him in a coma in a hospital bed, was traumatic. His speech empowering the LGBTQIA+ community in this episode brought tears to many fans, as homophobia is a reality to many who suffer the way Maurice did.
In Episode 18 of the first season, Sabrina Hollins (Novi Brown) shows up at the club to help support Maurice on drag night. He, however, does not show up. Maurice was in front of the bank that he and Sabrina worked at waiting for his date — he adorned a blonde wig and a blue dress. Unfortunately, (and relatable to many people around the world), Maurice's date is homophobic and ends up attacking Maurice and tells him he makes "Black men look bad." Maurice ends up in the bushes badly beaten.
Episode 19 then saw Maurice's body being found by Sabrina when she comes into work the next morning — he is unconscious. Sabrina had begun to blame herself for Maurice's attack because she had given his number to Alonzo, his attacker, as a prank. In Episode 21, we find out that Maurice has been put into a medically-induced coma and we see Sabrina apologizing to him for giving his number out to a stranger.
'That Look' saw Maurice get back on his horse, and dress up beautifully in drag for his welcome back party at the gay club. Usually a hilarious character, Maurice barely is ever serious — but his speech focused on being discriminated against. He made it a point to remind people in the club that they weren't the problem, but the homophobic people were the problem. Fans couldn't help but tear up at the speech that seemed to have stolen the show, with one fan writing, "Maurice speech!!!! #Periodt They have a problem within themselves. #SistasOnBET". Another added, "Such a powerful speech! 'You come for one, you come for us ALL!' @brianjordanjr #SistasOnBET". Yet another added, "Such a beautiful speech Maurice. The world needs to HEAR this! #sistasonbet."
Maurice said, "Most of us in this room knows how it feels to be discriminated against — most of us know how it feels to be judged for being exactly who we are. They try to beat us, berate us, kill us, murder us, and make us feel like we're the ones with the problem." He added that he realized when that "monster" tried to kill him that "I was not the one with the problem — he was." He further thanked legends like Marsha P Johnson for Stonewall and Clavin Rodney's (Anthony Dalton) dads for being there during the 1969 riots. "We are not taking this anymore," he said, "It's over!"
Maurice speech !!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 #Periodt They have a problem within themselves. #SistasOnBET
— 😚💨🖤 (@_BrittanyDuhhh) November 12, 2020
Such a powerful speech! “You come for one, you come for us ALL!” @brianjordanjr #SistasOnBET
— Charlene Capers (@8Ball_Char) November 12, 2020
Such a beautiful speech Maurice . The world needs to HEAR this ! #sistasonbet
— ronisha 🌸 (@NishaLaaureeen) November 12, 2020
'Sistas' Season 2 airs on Wednesdays on BET at 9 pm EST.