In set it off was queen latifah gay at that time?

In "Set It Off," released in 1996, Queen Latifah's character, Cleo, is portrayed as a lesbian. Queen Latifah herself has been private about her sexual orientation for many years. However, she later came out more openly as part of the LGBTQ+ community during a 2012 event. At the time of "Set It Off," while her character's sexuality was clear, Latifah did not publicly identify as gay.