Lakita Garth is an American sexual abstinence activist, public speaker, and rapper. Born in Los Angeles, Garth was a beauty queen, winning the title of Miss Black California in 1994. In the 1990s, she was a frequent guest on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, as well as being interviewed by outlets including Vogue and MTV about her advocacy.

Garth has testified before the United States House of Representatives on abstinence and teenage pregnancy. She has also written a book, The Naked Truth, on the subject, and recorded an inspirational rap album, Lakita (1999).

Biography

Early life

Garth was born in Los Angeles, the youngest of five children.[1] Her father, a 27-year veteran of the United States Air Force, died of cancer when Garth was 11.[1] Garth reflected that both her parents were strict, with her mother nicknamed "Warden".[1] Garth's mother was a regular churchgoer, although Lakita refused to attend church as a child.[2] In high school, Garth says she was teased for being abstinent.[3] Garth was also a beauty queen, winning the title of Miss Black California in 1995 and winning second runner-up in the Miss Black America pageant that year.[2][4]

Activism

On May 25, 1994, Garth testified before the United States House of Representatives' committee on teenage pregnancy.[5] The following year, she was interviewed by Vogue in her capacity as spokesperson for Athletes for Abstinence.[3] In February 1998, she was the keynote speaker at a California Republican Party summit on African American voter outreach.[6] On July 16, 1998, she again testified before Congress, to the Small Business Subcommittee on Empowerment.[4] In 2006, she spoke at Battle Cry For A Generation, a San Francisco Christian music festival.[7] She has also discussed abstinence and domestic violence with the University of Southern California football team and the Chicago Tribune.[8][9]

Garth wrote a book, The Naked Truth (Revell, 2011), on premarital sex and abstinence.[1] In 1999, she also released a rap album titled Lakita.[10] Her song "Talk to the Hand" was featured on the 1999 compilation Power Jams.[11]

Bill Maher, 1998
During the 1990s, Garth was a frequent guest on Politically Incorrect, hosted by Bill Maher.

Media appearances

During the 1990s, Garth regularly appeared on the panel discussion show Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, as well as on MTV's series Sex in the '90s.[2][4] In an episode of Politically Incorrect (filmed on July 30 and aired on August 13, 1997), she debated rock musician Marilyn Manson, Nixon administration official G. Gordon Liddy, and actress Florence Henderson about issues including religion and Manson's music.[12][13] In 2005, Garth appeared on The View and in People Magazine.[2] She has also appeared in Seventeen and Cosmopolitan.[14]

Personal life

In 2005, after dating for two years, Garth married Jeffrey Wright.[2] Garth remained abstinent until her marriage.[2]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 "700 Club: Lakita Garth: Sexual Purity in the Real World". CBN. Christian Broadcasting Network. March 26, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toussaint 2006.
  3. 1 2 Fleming 1995, p. 68.
  4. 1 2 3 "Lakita Garth -- 1995 Miss Black California". Pro-Life America. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 25, 1994)". GovInfo. Government Printing Office. May 25, 1994. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  6. ↑ Marinucci 1998.
  7. ↑ DeFao 2006.
  8. ↑ Jenkins 1999.
  9. ↑ Klein 2005.
  10. ↑ "Overview - Lakita". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Various Artists - Power Jams". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher feat. Marilyn Manson (August 13, 1997)". YouTube. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  13. ↑ Reighley, Kurt (September 22, 2015). Marilyn Manson. New York: St. Martins Publishing Group. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-312-18133-8. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  14. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Lakita Biography". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved December 17, 2022.

Works cited

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