So, I recognise it's possible that I'll do a one-eighty turn and not believe a word of this at some point in the future, but I'm going to say it anyway: I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable about a couple of songs that several of my friends see as awesome lesbian icon flagships but I kind of see as ... like name-dropping, but the name is 'I might be a bit queer but not really LOL money.' Then they get money.
Obviously the first example is Rihanna's 'Te Amo.' I mean, it's a nice video, it's an alright song - but it isn't about queer affirmation: it's about getting into a misunderstanding with a queer woman (maybe leading her on?) and then being sad/gyrating about it. That isn't positivity to me. That's just kind of a mention and then a bit of objectifying/convenient examples. And it isn't balls-out saying 'LOOK AT ME KISSIN' LAYDEEZ' but there is a lot of laydee-on-laydee action (that lots of people I know like watching) but I just ... don't feel it.
Then there's Xtina's 'Not Myself Tonight.' I'm only just listening to Bionic now - I did mean to a long time ago because obv I am really excited about JD Samson and Sia and Peaches being on it, but then Lady GaGa happened and I suppose anyone reading this blog knows how that affected my every breath. ANYWAY, I actually find that song a bit boring - admittedly I have only listened to it a few times, but I'm finding it difficult to motivate myself to get to know it or really understanding why I should. And the whole 'I'm kissing all the boys and the girls' alongside 'I'm not myself tonight' feels insincere and appropriating. Like, this is fun and I'm doing it, but I'm not going to take any responsibility for it. And that just reminds me of Katy Perry. I mean, maybe this is just evidence of some normalisation of homosexuality and queerness - that it gets brought up, and maybe this is somewhere on the way to actually being represented without specifically and crucially heterosexist frames - but I don't really feel like I have time for it even if it is. I just feel like I've sat through this before.
On the plus side, though, Elastic Love is awesome.
I think you hit it on the head with the normalisation of queerness comment. The more that it is brought up and well received by the public the better.
ReplyDeleteYes they are very much being trendsexuals and it is probably almost entirely because Lady Gaga smashed so many barriers and is selling so well. However, as someone who hasn't seen either of the clips I just know them as "Famous person does girl on girl shit and it's awesome". That's the way they've been promoted and advertised and most people will remember them for that reason. Sure the content is questionable (face) but what matters is how people think of them.
This means that yes, it is in the "only cool when two hot chicks do it territory" instead of "edgy, provocative and positively queer" territory but it's still good. However, these are two MASSIVE and pre-established names from varying demographics "converting" (or having the courage and ability to do it), that's what is important. It is far more helpful than people who do it from the start and become cult hits in the queer community and fail everywhere else.
Okay, I don't know if you're referring to me at all when you said 'several of my friends see as awesome lesbian icon flagships', but I assume you're not because I have never said that, and I haven't heard anyone else say those words either! So, I'm not sure where that's come from, but ANYWAY.
ReplyDeleteTe Amo: I love, love, love the song, as you know and the video (obvardardbo), and I feel positive about the whole thing because of all that, but I've never said that I think the actual lyrical subject matter is positive - it's not at all! It's devastating! In fact, a while ago I even did some research and discovered this:
'Te Amo' finds La Fenty grappling with her sexuality over some irresistible,
... latin-infused Stargate beats."[5]Fraser McAlpine of Daily...
Reviews also awarded the song four out of five stars and stated "It’s
that old, old story: Girl meets girl. Girl speaks different language
to girl. Girl loves girl. Girl doesn’t love girl. Girl sad. Girl
sad. We’ve all been there, right? And Rihanna’s captured that feeling
beautifully (she actually has, even though I sound incredibly insincere
about it).
So, it's a beautiful, awesome song that is yet again about unrequited love but this time it features two girls! In the mainstream! I think that's positive. It's quite representative too, as I accidentally found out through facebook and twitter!
Not Myself Tonight: I really like this song, especially to dance to, and I like the video because it is super hot. Christina has said some dodgy things about sexuality in the past (you've probably already read this, but see here: http://angrygreekdyke.blogspot.com/2010/05/christina-you-have-truly-pissed-me-off.html) so that makes me angry, but I am not angry at the song. I don't think the song is particularly negative, and I think comparing anything to Katy Perry needs a lot more justification. I always like to ask myself 'WAIT. IS THIS BREEDING HATRED, IGNORANCE AND HOMOPHOBIA?' and compare accordingly.
So, in conclusion, I agree with the first bit of your last point. Gay situations are actually being mentioned in the mainstream: progress.
If you are looking for queer affirmation in music then Rihanna isn't really your best pit stop. In the pop industry everything artists like Rihanna and Christina ever do will be carefully planned and formulated to make a shit load of money. That is not very positive to start with.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't ever champion either of them as lesbian icon flagships either. I think my enjoyment of their songs are purely superficial.
However, I have been thinking about this a lot recently and I see normalisation of homosexuality and queerness in the mainstream as a positive and necessary step. Even if some artists get it horribly and dangerously wrong like Katy Perry.