• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Celebrity

Ava DuVernay Has A 'Real Issue' With Being Called 'Auntie': 'Am I That Old?!'

The critically-acclaimed director said she prefers being called Ms. DuVernay, sis or queen. 
Ava DuVernay Has A ‘Real Issue’ With Being Called ‘Auntie’
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Diane von Furstenberg
By Essence · Updated December 6, 2020

Listen y’all: don’t call Ava DuVernay an “auntie.” The director of When They See Us said she doesn’t feel old enough to carry such a title—even if it’s said out of respect.

DuVernay was chatting with reporter Van Lathan about her latest Netflix series, which tells the story of the 1989 Central Park jogger case and the five men who were wrongfully accused and later exonerated.

Still, when Lathan, who said he’s “from the south,” started calling DuVernay “Ms. Ava,” she opened up about the other labels of respect that people try to bestow upon her, including “Auntie Ava.”

“First of all, I have a real issue with recently I’ve been getting called on Twitter ‘Auntie Ava,'” the 46-year-old began. “Why?! Why?! Am I that old? Because I don’t feel that old.”

When Lathan clarified that people are likely giving her the auntie title because of “the weight that you bring” to the culture through all of her film projects, DuVernay said that she “appreciate[s] that.”

“I’ve been feeling some kinda way about it,” she still admitted.

View this post on Instagram

📝 Do not call #AvaDuvernay Auntie Ava. Noted! Via @vanlathan

A post shared by TheYBF (@theybf_daily) on Jun 4, 2019 at 7:20am PDT

After the interview, when the term “auntie” began trending on Twitter, DuVernay issued a clarification.

“For the record, I happily respond to: ‘Hello, Ms. DuVernay,’ ‘Hello, Sis,’ ‘Hello, Queen,’ ‘Hello, Family,’ ‘Hello, Ava’ (safest bet),” she wrote. “Ms. Ava is fine if you’re under 18.”

She added, “Thanks for showing me respect regardless, Van. Had fun talking to you. Wishing you all good things.”

For the record, I happily respond to:

“Hello, Ms. DuVernay”
“Hello, Sis.”
“Hello, Queen.”
“Hello, Family.”
“Hello, Ava” (safest bet)

Ms. Ava is fine if you’re under 18.

Thanks for showing me respect regardless, Van. Had fun talking to you. Wishing you all good things. 🙏🏾

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) June 4, 2019

Since then, an entire conversation about the term auntie used on Black Twitter and in the Black community erupted on social media. While some commentators embrace the term “auntie,” others simply aren’t here for it.

I'm with @ava. The honorific "Auntie" desexualizes women. It started to bother me when I noticed people using it for Mary J. Mary is putting the young ones to shame; there is no reason to call her Auntie until her knees give out in another twenty years and she decides to park it.

— Kima Jones 🏁 (@kima_jones) June 4, 2019

I am proudly 49 years old. Y’all call me Auntie, tell me ALL your business, ask for a solid, and treat me with respect. I see it as an honor.

But I also see the subtweets when I put it on for the Gram and “desexualized overweight mammy” is NOT where your thoughts are headed. 💅🏾 pic.twitter.com/f4a4a2eFMq

— April (@ReignOfApril) June 4, 2019

DuVernay has been hard at work promoting her latest Netflix series, When They See Us.

The director told ESSENCE that she remembered “hearing about the crime itself” when the story first broke back in the 80s. She hopes that this case will help us interrogate the media and the justice system.

TOPICS:  Ava DuVernay
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now