I have been hearing about Katy Perry's music for awhile now, specifically her song "I Kissed a Girl." I had never heard this song before and I was curious, so I checked it out. After hearing it, I was a little surprised at all the attention. Sure, it’s about two girls making out, but this just felt like she was trying to get attention . She didn’t seem to be questioning her sexuality (in fact, throughout the song, you never doubt that she’s straight), or attempting to bring bisexuality into the light. She was just singing about kissing a girl, and that doesn’t seem too controversial to me (after all, its not like its never been sung about before).
What is controversial, in my mind, is the fact that, according to this song sexuality is something that girls might experiment with, but it isn’t long-term; it’ll wear off once the alcohol is out of her system. She even sings “You're my experimental game/Just human nature.” This idea of homosexuality as being fleeting might be easy for some people to swallow, but to me it just seems like another way for homophobes to place the GLBT community in a small box and then forget about them.
Throughout the video Katy is surrounded by beautiful women dressed in sexy lingerie, lounging around her as she sings coyly to the camera. The video shows her as sexy, and the fact that she kissed a girl (and that she liked it) shows that she’s experimental, which gives her an edge. This idea that being gay or bisexual automatically makes you promiscuous and different (edgy, whereas straight people are normal and maybe boring) can be harmful. It shows that all gay people are only up for quick one night stands and making out with random people at parties, at one point she even sings “I don't even know your name/It doesn't matter,” which just backs up many peoples stereotypical views of homosexuals. It gives those people the perfect stereotype to swallow; it gives them one more way to put homosexuals into a category far separated from themselves. And at the end of the video Katy wakes up in bed with her boyfriend. They are sleeping in a completely non-sexual way; they are facing each other but they are completely separated, they aren’t even touching. This shows that while homosexuals are sex-crazed, straight couples are able to control their urges and we don’t need to worry about them being promiscuous.
Throughout the song Katy constantly sings the refrain “I kissed a girl just to try it/ I hope my boyfriend don’t mind,” this constant reminder that she has a boyfriend assures her listeners that, although she might have kissed a girl, there’s no need to worry, she’s still straight. No one needs to doubt her sexuality, as she makes sure to remind us as much as possible that she’s perfectly straight.
I agree about this song being extremely damaging, but weather we sing about it or not, there are far too many girls that go out to the bar, get drunk, and makeout with other girls while the guys stand around edging them on. At the same time, Katy Perry probably did it, because it was a quick one hit wonder. Its what the media has expected of girls for so long. As for it being popular, well, its a really catchy song, and even I like it. But I really liked the way you analyzed not only the song but the music video itself. Very well done, and I definately couldn't have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your song blog posts very much.
ReplyDeleteI listen to top 100 radio, and my ethical side cringes every time songs like these come on. In some ways it's just a song; it's catchy, you get it stuck in your head, it's fun to admit "bad" emotions, etc.
But in other ways it's just making those thoughts and emotions most accepted. Is it now okay to kiss people you just met and hope your significant other doesn't find out? Is it now okay to hate your significant other for leaving you to the point where you wish they will NEVER find happiness?
If you're interested I've always found 'Before He Cheats' by Carrie Underwood to be another highly debatable song. Try reversing the gender roles in it. ;D
Libby, I totally agree with you on this; when I hear this song I definitely do not think of Katy Perry as being bisexual or trying to saying about sexuality, she is just having fun with a complete stranger. What you think about is how being so promiscuous and spur-of-the-moment is seen as “cool” in our society and not outrageous. I just think that this song is fueling the ridiculous idea that men have that women who are “experimental” are hotter and less dull than the average straight woman. Something else that comes to mind is that this is a very intriguing idea for a song which is one of the reasons that it was so popular for so long even though it does say something about how our society values our behavior.
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