I Kissed A Girl - Except Not.
Back in 1995 Jill Souble shook the musical world with her out-of-nowhere popular song, "I Kissed a Girl".
With it's cute, catchy lyrics, happy lesbian ending, and fun video the song was a smash in both gay and straight communities. It was heralded as the bisexual/bicurious anthem. When I was first beginning to understand my gay identity in 2003 I was totally in love with this song. Jill, by the way, creates the kind of music the "stereotypical lesbian" enjoys - strong, political, and female-centered. Think Ani, Tori, and Fiona.
In 2008, Katy Perry came out with a song of the same title - "I Kissed a Girl". However, this song is quite different from its folky guitar-laden predecessor.
In 2008, Katy Perry came out with a song of the same title - "I Kissed a Girl". However, this song is quite different from its folky guitar-laden predecessor.
This song instead focuses on a girl who drinks a bit too much, kisses a girl, and hopes that her boyfriend doesn't mind. This is the sequel to Katy Perry's previous single "UR So Gay", which was about her eyeliner and tight pants wearing Emo boyfriend - which would be a whole other entry.
How to feel about this new song? Upon first hearing it, I won't lie, I thought it was a cute song. Plus, what lesbian wouldn't enjoy belting out a song about kissing girls? But in the end, it continues to fuel the fire of girls who kiss other girls for attention - which then can cause more confusion when it comes to girls kissing girls because...well...they just like kissing girls. I am all for the promotion of exploring your sexuality, and exploring bisexuality. So on that note, the song is fun expression of exploration.
In the end, it really isn't the song or the crappy music video (which, sadly enough, does not include any girls kissing girls but is just a sexy girls clad in underwear male-fantasy romp) that bothers me.
What bothers me is that straight (both Katy and Jill have asserted that they are completely heterosexual) women use my sexuality to be popular. What is even worse is that it is an incredible uphill climb for REAL lesbian singers to get any attention - since they aren't faux lesbians, who cares? Many singers never reveal their sexuality, just to make sure their career stays safe. Many times they claim it is because they don't see the "point" in coming out - which is ridiculous. You know what the point of coming out is? To make it more acceptable for society, and to give all the little queers in the world some role models. We do get ever so terribly excited when someone famous steps out of the closet. Oh, and it's also just kind of nice to not be living a lie, or constantly being asked about it - if people know the answer, they won't ask. Sure, boxes suck -but you can find ways around it by still being open and honest. Those who have come out have made huge strides for GLBT rights just by stepping out of the closet. Ellen, Roise, Rob Halford, Ian McKellen - they have all continued to retain their popularity, while still being true and honest about who they are.
In the end, it's about acceptance. So, some straight girl wants to sing about kissing girls when she's trashed. Sure, fine, it's a catchy song. But how about Tegan and Sara getting some airtime - comparable to what Katy Perry is now recieving? Or the tons of other lesbian artists who want to sing songs about having REAL same-sex relationships? How can we ever get any acceptance or rights if we have no visibility?
How to feel about this new song? Upon first hearing it, I won't lie, I thought it was a cute song. Plus, what lesbian wouldn't enjoy belting out a song about kissing girls? But in the end, it continues to fuel the fire of girls who kiss other girls for attention - which then can cause more confusion when it comes to girls kissing girls because...well...they just like kissing girls. I am all for the promotion of exploring your sexuality, and exploring bisexuality. So on that note, the song is fun expression of exploration.
In the end, it really isn't the song or the crappy music video (which, sadly enough, does not include any girls kissing girls but is just a sexy girls clad in underwear male-fantasy romp) that bothers me.
What bothers me is that straight (both Katy and Jill have asserted that they are completely heterosexual) women use my sexuality to be popular. What is even worse is that it is an incredible uphill climb for REAL lesbian singers to get any attention - since they aren't faux lesbians, who cares? Many singers never reveal their sexuality, just to make sure their career stays safe. Many times they claim it is because they don't see the "point" in coming out - which is ridiculous. You know what the point of coming out is? To make it more acceptable for society, and to give all the little queers in the world some role models. We do get ever so terribly excited when someone famous steps out of the closet. Oh, and it's also just kind of nice to not be living a lie, or constantly being asked about it - if people know the answer, they won't ask. Sure, boxes suck -but you can find ways around it by still being open and honest. Those who have come out have made huge strides for GLBT rights just by stepping out of the closet. Ellen, Roise, Rob Halford, Ian McKellen - they have all continued to retain their popularity, while still being true and honest about who they are.
In the end, it's about acceptance. So, some straight girl wants to sing about kissing girls when she's trashed. Sure, fine, it's a catchy song. But how about Tegan and Sara getting some airtime - comparable to what Katy Perry is now recieving? Or the tons of other lesbian artists who want to sing songs about having REAL same-sex relationships? How can we ever get any acceptance or rights if we have no visibility?
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Additionally, I realize that stealing someone's identity to be popular is nothing new - blackface, for example, was used quite often up until the 70s. Even still, "brown face" or the use of other culture's identities is still used in a lot of performance art. This robbery of identity, be it sexual identity or racial, isn't okay either way. All because it isn't new doesn't mean it is any more okay.