I Kissed a Girl

Monday, June 9, 2008

filed under: tween & teen logic

Everyone's favorite Vuv-A-Licious Mom: This is not a confession. It's the title of a hot new pop song by artist Katy Perry.

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry ChapStick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong. It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it

The song has a funky tempo, and it gives you happy feet--you know, the kind of tune that stays in your head. Yet, there are protests to get the song off the airwaves, even take it off itunes.

After hearing of those efforts, my 13-year-old son said, "Every other rap song on the radio throws around the words "Ni**er, Bit*h and the F-bomb and these songs are still on the radio and iTunes. What's the big deal?" I had no response. I just thought, "Out of the mouths of babes!!"

Violent messages in songs and video games have historically been objected to on the theory that they promote violent behaviors. Are those that are uncomfortable with this song concerned that it will encourage our girls to make out with other girls? Have sexual relationships with other girls? If the inclination is not there, do people believe that this pop tune will have our little girls tasting each others ChapStick flavors while they're wearing it?

What if the song was sung by a male artist and the lyrics were, "I kissed a boy and I liked it?" Would people care, or would parents "poo-poo" it on the assumption that their boys would never be interested, and no Billboard Hot 100 song could cause them to get interested?

No answers today from Vuv-A-Licious mom, just a closing comment. When this tune is playing and my son and daughter are dancing, I will be trying to dance along, or trying to acknowledge that they may one day dance to the beat of a different drummer than me.

filed under: tween & teen logic

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26 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

ditto, Emily Miller is spot on. She’s not being uptight she’s breaking things down, and taking time to do so, who are you to say she ‘doesn’t have to write an essay?’ people should stop being so simple minded. On the other hand I do like the fact you can walk along the street and see a variety of ppl singing about kissing girls to the homophobes, i don’t know if this is bad but i do kinda delight in the fact your precious children are getting exposed to this whether you like it or not.. oh how terrible? well thats nowhere near as bad as them being exposed to homophobia is they are/turn out to be gay is it? well it makes ME hurl somebody could say that about a 5 yr old when for all you know she’ll end up gay/bi.

- moogs

Posted 11/04/08 01:40 PM

Glenn, homosexuality isn’t sexual perversion.

- Anonymous

Posted 02/26/09 09:39 PM

I like that song. It’s just a song! Our society is so concerned with sexual choices that people make. It’s none of your business. I feel sorry for the people who choose to be closed minded and insecure with themselves. Does is really matter? Does it affect you somehow? No.

- Anonymous

Posted 04/10/09 01:01 PM

I just have to say that being someone who is of the lesbian orientation. It bothers me greatly that this song is being made such a huge deal. Let me tell you something, I have a 10 year old daughter, she knows what the difference is between gay and straight and she also knows that she has the right to choose who she wants to be with. I am not going to shelter my kids from the reality that is all around us. The parents that do shelter thier kids should be ashamed because that just makes them rebel worse than what they would normally. welcome to 2009, glbt people are everywhere, no matter where you are. get used to it

- shae

Posted 04/11/09 10:12 AM

I love the song! And I think that kids are exposed to far worse every day than a song that talks about same-sex encounters.

- cc

Posted 05/02/09 06:39 PM

OK, kids now days r exposed to rape, gang violence, murder, molestation, sex, and much, much, more, i mean, i am only 11 and i now about all of this stuff. i now people who r glbt. i mean, i’ve been going 2 the pride parade since i was like 6, i have a gay grandma and bi- aunt. i have many adults in my life that r gay, does it matter, NO!!!!!. there r things on the radio that drop the f*** bomb the words $h**, b****, @$$, the n- word and more, and people r criticizing a song that just shows that there is experimentation in the real world, if i girl or boy wants 2 be gay, let them, they should also be exposed 2 things that show that some people r gay. sorry 4 righting some much, but it real frustrates me that we have a nation of homophobes who would rather throw there kid out like garbage than show there other kids that there r gay ppl in the real world, once again, sorry.

- izabella

Posted 06/08/09 12:08 PM

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