Out last night at a lesbian club night, and once again Katy Perry's 'I kissed a girl' had every woman on the dance floor singing along with the words, and for those lucky ones, a kiss at the appropriate moment.
My DJ friend plays it just to wind me up. Why? Because I say it's homophobic.
Friends find this amusing, because I'm getting all heated over what they fail to hear. I understand their view point – it's a popular tune that's easy to like, a refreshing change from all the boy kissed girl songs, and Perry's declaration, "I kissed a girl and I liked it," we heartily agree with. Suddenly what us lesbian girls do is getting social approval and endorsement by the mainstream.
So what's my issue? I take angst about accepting subtle homophobic references like it's OK. Those willing to take up the debate tell me it's not damaging. I disagree. The subtle homophobia that currently permeates our society is a bigger issue than we are acknowledging. The likes of Jeremy Clarkson who thinks it's OK to call a car "A bit gay, yes, very ginger beer,” on a Top Gear episode', but insists he was “ not referring to homosexuals”. Chris Moyles can mock a gay singer in a high-pitched, effeminate voice, on a show that has hundreds of thousands of listeners. Yet, those defending Moyles including those who are gay, note that his show's producer who has worked with Moyles for 9 years, is openly gay and that Moyles has friendships with people such as Alan Carr, Scott Mills and Will Young. So that must mean he's not homophobic, which makes it OK!
In 2006 Moyles, rejected a ringtone, saying "I don't want that one, it's gay," live on air. Yet he is defended by gay and straight alike - as well as the BBC who claimed he was 'keeping up with developments in English usage'.
What really surprises me is that this subtle homophobia is not just coming from the straight world where we can blame it on ignorance, and a lack of awareness of the hatred & bullying experienced by LGBT individuals. I've seen a gay rap artist wear a T-shirt announcing 'racism is so gay'. His argument was it's OK, because a gay man designed it. Not even Gay Times, who published the photos, questioned it. There's even a 'joke' group called 'I hate gays' on Facebook which is deemed funny because '”it's not to be taken seriously. If you browse the comments most of them are made by gays and it seems 90% of the group's members are gay”. So that's OK too then.
Which brings me back to Katy Perry.
For some lesbians...well me, Perry's popular tune is at my expense, a view reinforced by "It doesn't matter, you're my experimental game', and the song's parting words, "I hope my boyfriend don't mind it." I guess I'm never going to get to kiss Perry so I've no need to worry that I'm her lab rat. "It's not what good girls do, not how they should behave." I think it's demeaning to us. I'm the bad girl - how many times have we had that reinforced in our lives!
I kissed a girl follows from Perry's previous single UR So Gay, which is directed at a former boyfriend who she accuses in the lyrics of 'acting gay'. In the song she explains that his problem is that he has too much in common with gay men. Perry's words reflect the language of the school playground with the derogatory use of the word gay and the enforcement of gender compliance. Her naivety is evident. Obviously she's unaware of the 65% of young lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils who have experienced direct bullying and the 98% of young gay people hear the phrases “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” in school (Stonewall School Report 2007). She obviously is also not aware that 48% of boys are bullied for acting 'like girls' and 22% of girls are bullied for acting 'like boys' (Stonewall Teachers Report).
Peter Tatchell's argument, I agree with. "They're not seriously homophobic but they can be read as implicitly demeaning gay people. I am sure Katy would get a critical reception if she expressed comparable sentiments in a song called 'UR so black, Jewish or disabled".
The impact homophobia can have is immense on any person who endures it, including exploitation and self harming behaviours. Consequently, this can lead to other problems such as mental health issues, low self esteem, unemployment, homelessness and housing issues.
Whilst as adults who are OK with their sexualities, we can dismiss the subtle homophobia in the lyrics of Katy Perry as harmless. To those who feel bad about themselves, it reinforces what the media and what the bullies are saying everyday, whether subtly or in our face; that to be gay and lesbian is bad. I take a stand because, what sort of message is all this giving to those people who are questioning their sexuality and/or contemplating coming out and to those who are bullied and taunted everyday in the school playground?
I leave it for you to decide, but I will never dance to Katy Perry's 'I kissed a girl'.
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