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Most would argue that it’s a little untimely to still be harping on the “infamous” kiss between Britney Spears and Madonna at the 2003 MTV VMAs. Since that time, Britney’s gotten married and divorced, popped out two kids, and went crazy and came back, and Madonna herself has gotten divorced and acquired some nutbag facial plastic surgery. My point is, 2003 was a long time ago, and as “shocking” as that kiss may have been back then, in the lens of 2009, it doesn’t seem so controversial.
But the Daily Mail seems to think that Britney and Madonna launched a trend of “lipstick lesbian” kissing in Hollywood, whereby seemingly straight women celebrities kiss other women to gain publicity for themselves. As a result, this “faux lesbianism” has become trendy among teenage girls, a trend which the article claims is “insidious”:
But for the teenage girls who are, at 15 or 16, in some ways precocious, in other ways they are deeply naive about what the fallout might be from kissing another girl in public.
Yes, they’re vulnerable to intense social pressures to fit in with whatever is perceived to be fashionable. And yet few are mature enough to deal with the complicated sexual issues surrounding such behavior. That’s why this celebrity fad is so insidious.
The article goes on to site other nebulous reasons for why this trend is bad: it can “compromise both…dignity and self-respect” and insecure girls may feel pressure engage in “play gay” behavior in which they would otherwise not participate. I think the benefits of being able to experiment sexually, in public or in private, without the fear of retribution far outweighs any so-called drawbacks.
This is not to say that some female celebrities aren’t kissing other girls purely for the media attention. I think Peaches Geldorf and Paris Hilton kiss women purely press, and if that is in fact the case, it’s a pathetic gimmick. I’ve also seen a ton of women engage in “fake lesbianism” in college for sole sake of impressing guys or being cool, and that’s their choice. It’s called foreplay and it’s been around since the dawn of time. The only difference now is that it’s done in public.
But some celebrities, like many teenage girls, are legitimately experimental, and why shouldn’t bi-curious teens have role model celebrities? Lindsay Lohan (whom the article sites as a classic example of faux lesbianism) and Anne Heche have done a lot for breaking down common misconceptions of what lesbians “should” look or act like, and if their freedom to be themselves inspires teens to explore their sexual identities, why is that such a bad thing?
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I don’t like how that article seems to act like all teenage girls who kiss teach other are just looking for attention. Sure, some are (usually the ones who are drunk, in their underwear, and at a frat party), but PLENTY of 16 year old girls are lesbians, bisexual, bi-curious, going through a phase, or just flat out like kissing and don’t care who it is.
And Britney Spears and Madonna HARDLY started it. TaTu came WAYYYY before them, first off. Second off, in many cultures, it’s seen as just a phase that girls often go through when they’re in their preteen or young teen years, and they’ll grow out of it once they’re mature enough to start dating boys. The idea that ‘girls sometimes kiss other girls’ and ‘girls kiss other girls to get attention’ did NOT start in 2003.
I kissed girls in high school, but that’s because I’m attracted to girls. I could tell that some of the chicks were pretending to be into, though.
I didn’t kiss those girls a second time.
But I don’t think it did them any harm, either.
I’m not into fake kissing between girls. It just isn’t hot. You can always tell who’s faking it in porn too. It’s just not sexy.
I love it when I see girls trying to impress guys by getting drunk off their asses and making out with other girls! It’s so sad and funny at the same time. I do kiss my really close girl friends on the lips when I say bye or when I see them. But its just like a peck, and its more like a closeness thing.
I sometimes kiss my friends (of both genders) on the cheek or forehead as a similar gesture. People in Latin America and Europe do it. I feel like only here could a picture of two Spanish women saying ‘hi’ to each other can elicit screams of ‘OMG LESBIANS’ (they were only touching cheeks, not even REALLY kissing, BTW). America, the UK, Canada…..lets quit with the prudery for the sake of prudery, eh?
I live in the UK and always kiss my friends on the cheek as a goodbye or something. Same with my family. My Dad kisses his brothers on the cheek. I think people just over-react to everything.
> My Dad kisses his brothers on the cheek.
Gay!
*shaking head*
It’s silly and insulting to real gays. Is a pop star or actor faking lesbianism supposed to make me run out and buy whatever they are peddling? Why? Girls kissing isn’t all that interesting.
this is so not a new thing. I still remember high school.
I’ve never understood the idea of kissing anyone you don’t care about in some way. Celebrities who think being fake!homosexuals is a selling point are as bad, in my opinion, as Perez Hilton saying the second you become famous you MUST come out of the closet. What happened to one’s sexuality being a personal subject, not something to display for all to see? I’m not saying sexuality is shameful or should be hidden, but show some class–I don’t care what sexuality my favorite actress/singer/writer is…it has nothing to do with their talent.
I kissed a girl and I didn’t like it.
Really? Were you experimenting or was it a dare?
Before I actually went through puberty and started to feel a sexual attraction to anyone I assumed I was straight. So I kissed a girl (it was a dare) and I didn’t like it.
My cousin had girlfriends before he realized he was gay. (prepuberty)
Of course, I realized he was gay several years before he did. He shoulda asked me.
what about those fake lesbians on girls gone wild. What does that say to the future women of the world.
I kissed girls in high school, but that’s because I’m a lesbian. Though, I understand girls kissing because they’re bisexual or bi-curious or just plain “curious”.
I don’t like it when girls kiss girls just to gain the attention of a guy. Whenever I see that happening, I almost feel insulted. Although I can’t explain why.
If girls feel the need to kiss each other for a guys attention then they need to look for another guy.
I can’t imagine a heterosexual girl would enjoy kissing another girl…I, a homosexual woman, don’t enjoy kissing guys. So, it’s just to the satisfaction of the male, but to what expense of the females fulfilling this “lesbian” fantasy?