Katy Perry and the media's 'Kiss' of hypocrisy

Ur so Gay is not pro-gay...she is telling her boyfriend that he is acting in ways that are stereotypically gay. She is trying to insult him/break up with him.

No she's not. "You're so lame" Amy. She's talking about a metro-sexual boyfriend that acts more gay than he does straight. I happen to be gay and I act more straight than a lot of the gays. Her whole song is exploring the behavior of straight/gay/bi - whatever. Under the microscope, we're all just unique amusing creations - some more than others. Perry, like any artist, is simply exploring the the behavior of someone close to her.....and it's amusing.

it's the sweeping stereotyping and labeling that is offensive. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that.

Wow - sounds like you should just stay home and gouge your eyes out and poor wax in your ears so you're not offended by by the world or your own image in the mirror. In your case your perception is your own hell. Poor valentine - is it "born without valentine"? Yep, I thought so.

how are her songs not offensive?
go to my youtube channel, my name is HHthinking, i can't post links in this forum or i would give you the link. When you go to my channel watch the featured video, it is all about the problem with Katy Perry.

And it's just that sort of passive attitude that allows for homophobia to become culturally acceptable.

I disagree. I'm gay and I want people to say what they want. Especially, someone like Perry that loves everyone and has a witty, playful interpretation of life.

But what, exactly, is the point you're trying to make here? Just because a song is catchy doesn't mean we have to like it or support it, especially when the message that girls kissing girls "is not what good girls do" or "acting gay" (however one defines that, and BOY, is that a loaded phrase full of stereotypes, just like "acting black" would be...) is synonymous with "acting lame." Personally, I don't care how catchy the song is, I'm not going to support an artist, even if her excuse is just that she's too ignorant to understand why calling someone "gay" as a negative connotation would possibly be offensive to actual gay people.

It's catchy because Max Martin wrote and produced it, not because Katy Perry has any actual talent.

So - it's catchy partly because of Max Martin producing it and the other because of Katy Perry singing it. Like I said - people don't pay as much attention to the lyrics, or base their taste in music on what a song says, as much as the sound of the voice and the beats laid with it. I'm not saying she should be glorified for offending gay culture. I'm trying to explain why it's such a hit song despite the message.

If I were her gay friend, I would thank her. And as a gay man, I wish I were her gay friend. So thank you Katy Perry.

of course you would say that, it's not you that she's generalizing and making idiotic stereotypes about. it's about bisexual women.

it only hurts when the attack is on you.

She's not overgeneralizing anyone. She's talking about her own personal sexual confusion due to a night of too much drinking. She's battling with how she's been raised "it's not what good girls do, not how they should behave. My head gets so confused, hard to obey." This is hardly an attack on bisexuality. If anything, it is speaking to how open girls are nowadays as opposed to how they used to be. It is praising her possible bisexuality she "liked it." If you are upset as a bisexual female at this song: you clearly got the wrong message out of it because you chose to. It says nothing against you at all.

That, of course, is the zeroed-in view that all I was talking about it "I Kissed a Girl," when in fact, the other song "Ur So Gay" is about me. "It only hurts when the attack is on you." If this is an attack, it is one most certainly on me, and guess what. It didn't hurt. It was hilarious.

Reiteration: Thank you, Katy Perry!

It paints a picture implying that bisexuals can't be faithful to their partners (kissing someone else without guilt while in a relationship), women in general become sluts when they drink, that it's okay to fool around with someone's emotions ("you're my experimental game"), and that two girls kissing is just an innocent little game, nothing of any meaning or value involved. All of which are highly offensive.

Also, "ur so gay" is about a metrosexual (stupidest word ever invented) man, not a gay man. And she is implying (through common cultural stereotype) that being into clothes, makeup, and the way you look is ONLY feminine behaviour so a man who does it must be homosexual because homosexuals are all feminine. The video also the implies that metrosexuals don't have any balls or ability to please a woman.

It's the kind of thing I could visualize someone saying in private to their friends when talking about an ex they really hate, but putting it in an internationally released pop song makes her look like a thoughtless homophobe rather than a disgruntled ex.

"It paints a picture implying that bisexuals can't be faithful to their partners (kissing someone else without guilt while in a relationship), women in general become sluts when they drink, that it's okay to fool around with someone's emotions ("you're my experimental game"), and that two girls kissing is just an innocent little game, nothing of any meaning or value involved. All of which are highly offensive. "

Exactly! That's what I thought the first time I heard it. I have a 16 yr old daughter, and tried to explain to her why I find it so offensive. I even tried to keep my personal views about homosexuality/bisexuality out of it for once and get her to see that just the fact that the song makes light of cheating on her boyfriend ("I hope my boyfriend don't mind it") makes it morally offensive. Cheating is cheating, whether it's with a boy or a girl.

It's hard enough trying to instill our values and morals in our teenage daughter when she's bombarded with outside influences from her peers and media. To a teenager, when a song like this is played on the radio and then promoted on the Today Show of all places, it gives it and it's message a legitamacy that, IMO, it shouldn't have.

I'd also like to say, that finding out that the Today Show is going to have Kate Perry in concert, certainly speaks to their liberal leanings and willingness to compromise in favor of rating numbers. I'm sure I'll get slammed for being uptight, or called a right-wing conservative, or something else equally judgemental. Oh well. I'm neither uptight nor a right-wing conservative. I'm a moderate conservative who is also a parent, concerned with today's societal views about what is acceptable in how we respect others and ourselves.

Next thing you know, the Today Show will have Saving Able on the show singing "Addicted" (I'm so addicted to all the things you do, when you're going down on me). When my husband and I heard this the first time while in the car, we looked at each other with our mouths hanging open in shock! We are (my husband more than me) regular listeners to the local rock/metal station, but that's just going too far.

So you should only carry gay artists in your store, all 10 of them. What a hypocrite! You sell other artists that promote drug use or sexual abuse, but say one bad thing about "gays" and your hated.
I'm glad I don't know where your store is.

Robert - you sound like another crusty queen. Bitter and defensive. You probably beat yourself up more than anyone ever could.

*applauds you*

thank you :)

Reverse discrimination! Excellent work, mind posting the name of your store so I can avoid it?

I have several gay friends, 2 of which sent me the song when it came out.

bwvalentine, this song is in the same category as social satire and you'd have to be deaf not to notice that.

Erik - I agree. I'm gay and I'm offended by most gays. I'm a gay bashing gay! It's too bad that media attention is placed on the gross gays. Please understand the gays you don't hear about are the ones that live very normal, kind and considerate lifestyles.

Funny...I'm a Christian bashing Christian...bet we'd get along just fine.

As for the songs, I simply don't really care for the style, I'll let the rest of you argue the message

Finally someone who is reasonable and can see the song for what it is -- entertainment. It's not a political stand or anything else.

Every work of art, especially one being heard by millions of people on a daily basis, can be considered a political act. The personal IS political, and as a bisexual woman, this song is exactly what I hate about straight girls. Of course she has the right to sing about whatever she wants, and I have the right to be offended by it.

You are so elequent and inspiring..1st of all, you insult the mentally handicapped (with your RETARTED comment). Second of all, where are we supposed to "go home" to? (I was born right here in the grand ole' US of A). Ane we are dooming the human race? Gays are not reproducing, so I don't understand how we are "dooming the human race". Maybe it is the small-minded people like yourself who are reproducing and teaching their children that it is ok to hate other people ( I am pretty sure that you don't think very highly of African Americans or other minorities based on your comments).

Lastly, not all gay people are necessarily in favor of "gay marriages".

Please, in the future, before you post another coment, get your facts straight. And for the sake of all reading, USE SPELL CHECK!!

PS...Please do not use my Lord Jesus' name in vain, but if you absolutely must, please spell His holy name correctly!!! (It is NOT GEESUS)

Daniel SHUT UP! Okay. do the world a grand ole favor, Commit Suicide. really your kind should deserve to live, no matter how you slice yourself, YOU are WRONG on so many LEVELS!!

At least some handicapped arent GAY!!

Talk about using spelled check.

why dont you use it yourself! ya freak.

Its "RETARDED NOT RETARTED!"

Daniel - PS...Please do not use my Lord Jesus' name in vain, but if you absolutely must, please spell His holy name correctly!!! (It is NOT GEESUS)

that why i spelled geeesus i know how you gays are about religion.
plus if you read your so called bible your god dont like homo's. so I hate to burst yer bubble.

You can be dooming the human race, by not reproducing that's how. if everyone was gay there wouldn't ever be any children.

Finally! Somebody addressing the potential dangers of homosexual proliferation in our dangerously under-populated world.

I was just answering his question. I could care less whether someone was gay or not.

MrArcadian...it must be a miserable existence to carry around so much hatred all the time. Unlike your words to me, I do not hope that you commit suicide. I wish you the very best in life. Maybe if you look into my "so called Bible", you will find all of the peace and joy that you are so desperately seeking. Maybe then you will see the scriptures that speak about God's grace and unconditional love, no matter where we are in our lives. His love is not something that ANYONE deserves, because we are all sinners, but he freely gives it to us every day. You will be so much happier once you let go of the hate. PEACE

MrArcadian: It must be a terrible burden to carry around so much hate all the time. Unlike your fellings towards me, I do not wish that you would commit suicide, rather I pray that God will open your eyes to see the beauty and joy that there is in this life that he has given each one of us. Even if you cannot/ will not agree with me, I hope that one day you pick up and read my "so called Bible" and read about the only God that loves each and every one of us unconditionally, no matter who we are or where we are in life, and experience His peace for the 1st time in your life. I know that if that happens you will no longer feel the need to wish death upon someone else, and you may finally understands what God is talking about when he speaks of love, mercy, compassion and justice. May the peace of Christ be upon your life,

Daniel

Daniel

I do have to say that as a gay man who has read the Bible (and got very little out of it), it pains me to read your self-absorbed, pretentious postings about how you have everything right and you wish the world could just see. You make me queezy, to be perfectly honest. And I know you'll wish the Lord's love upon me. Spare me. Geesus. Really.

As for you, Mr. Arcadian. I'm by no means agreeing with what you said literally, but I do think that gays, if they are upset about this song, are retarded. (Yes, Daniel, I used the word "retarded," as, I feel, it best expresses exactly the correct attitude about homosexuals in this instance and yet means nothing about those with IQs less than 70.) Gays that find this song anything but catchy and amusing are, in fact, being retarded (backward and slow).

As for going home. I agree: all the gays that are out in the street in a tizzy about this song need to go back home, as in, their houses. IF said outspoken gays are in any way thinking Katy's songs are giving a NEGATIVE spotlight on homosexuals, they are clearly mistaken.

who has marriages? what planet are you living on?

I agree here. I mean I think she's just using the "It's not what good girls do" line in context of her upbringing, not as in it's bad to be gay. Actually I think a lot of teenagers and college females go through this experience. And if they were brought up in a very religious home or just around parents or peers who thought being a homosexual is bad, then the stigma probably rolled over until they made their own decision on the matter.

You, clearly, think too much if you think these songs are anything less than amusing and, perhaps, great dance songs.

thank you tompca. if the songs were about any racial group and it's stereotypes it would be the end of the world, but when it comes to gay people... go right ahead and make fun of them!

it's repulsive.

bwvalentine:

I'm gay. If anyone has any right to be offended, it would be me, and I'm not. It's not that it's okay to make fun of homosexuals: it's not. It's that this song is, in fact, not making fun of homosexuals.

But do you also think that being a lesbian and enjoying kissing girls precludes you from being "good"? Because that is the message of the song, regardless of authorial intent. And there's no defending 'Ur So Gay', in my opinion. Gay is not a synonum for stupid.

PLEASE people, if you are going to express your distaste with homosexuality, please, for the love of GOD, PLEASE come up with a new cliche to attack us!!! The whole Adam & Eve...Adam & Steve is SO outdated!!

psalm15man: What day, exactly, did God ask you if you liked boys or girls... and moreover... since when did preference imply a choice??

Some days you feel like having a soda, some days you feel like water - sure, you can CHOOSE TO IGNORE your preference, but you could never control your preference to begin with. Please, be intelligent.

"There is no equivocal way to lump together the plight of African-Americans and what they have faced for hundreds of years in this country with the plight of homosexuals. "

are you for REAL? only a complete idiot who has had their head in the sand their whole lives could make this statement.

Except for how she implies that being gay is unnatural, and makes sure to let us know she's only kissing other girls to flirt with her boyfriend, because she's soooo straight. As a woman who's been used by other women the exact same way, because for some reason fetishising lesbians is cool for straight guys, I can tell you that it's not shocking or pot-stirring, it's just annoying.

That is incorrect...don't speak unless you are educated on the matter you are speaking on. I'm not Catholic so I can't say anything about that stuff, but I can read hebrew and Greek....no Adam and Steve in there.

starbiter... humor and sarcasm aren't your forte, are they?

:) very true, I don't always catch it, but I did catch it in this case I just didn't address it from that stance

No, instead you chose to insult HIS intelligence, throwing yours into doubt. :)

So...by pointing out a person is wrong is, by default, insulting their intelligence? I never knew that, apparently I am not so smart after all, thanks for pointing that out...you've cleared up a lot for all of our readers. (Now I am using sarcasm and humor :) )

o.... kay....

I feel sorry about what you are doing to your daughter. People wonder why kids grow up with so many disorders and psychological hangups...

are you telling her that she's going to go through an eternity of agony and torment in hell if she ever sees and enjoys anything you don't like?

I think you missed the point. I wonder how many parents take their parenting role seriously as it is. A good parent will educate their kids. So, an anti-gay parent educates their child the same way...and a gay family obviously educates differently...the intolerant one is the parent who attacks the other parent for educating...they don't have to agree, but they have to teach as best they can. Why does that mean she is teaching "she's going to go through an eternity of agony and torment in hell if she ever sees and enjoys anything you don't like? " That's just a poorly educated assumption born from intolerance because you disagree with her stance...it's not a serious thought

How does that cause disorders andpsychological hangups...maybe mommy doesn't want her little girl coming home from a party after sharing dick all night for fear of disease. I wouldn't....

It's one thing to say that sharing a dick at a party is bad; it's entirely another to scare your child away from being comfortable with who she is, even if it happens to not be what mommy wants her to be. It's that restriction and mentality that caters to psychological disorders.

Just going to note that you juxtaposed "anti-gay" with "gay" ... not the same thing at all, so I'll correct it in my response:

An anti-gay parent educates their child one way (to be intolerant of people). A parent who is not anti-gay educates their child differently (without hate).

First of all, I would like to clarify something. My name is Craig and I am far too hairy to be confused with a "mommy". :)

More importantly, my comment had nothing to do with being gay or straight, or hating anyone.

The song is NOT about a girl who realised she was gay, met another girl and became a couple. The song IS about a hetero girl with a boyfriend who went to a party, drank and decided to kiss some girl where she "didn't even know her name". (BTW, I assume that we're talking about more than a little peck or she wouldn't be singing a song about it.) I wouldn't want my daughter at a party drinking and making out with some guy she didn't know.

Intimate acts are to be shared with special people, not just with anyone you meet at a party after a few drinks.

Since RS tried to turn my original comment into something it wasn't and accused me of causing my daughter irreparable damage, I will address that question. I do believe that engaging in homosexual acts is wrong and I do teach my children that. I do NOT teach them to hate anyone. If one of my children where to turn out to be gay, we would deal with it in a loving and understanding way. I would argue that promiscuous people suffer far more psychological disorders them those that choose to show some restraint. I find the comments from RS both insulting and ignorant.

So, you automatically call people who disagree with it hateful? So, if a parent teaches their child to not speed, that means they hate speeders? If a parent teaches a child that hitting other children is wrong that means that hate kids who hit? Or are those points too mundane? Is it your thought that teaching kids guidelines at all teaches hate, or just if those guidelines disagree with yours?

Let's see, I teach my kids a lot of things but you're saying that I am teaching them to hate by doing so. If I instill any type of morality in my kids that differs from yours I am teaching them intolerance and hate...that's pretty far fetched.

I'm sorry, but your statements show extreme bias and intolerance in themselves. You are basically wanting to put a general umbrella over those who have a moral opinion against being gay and automatially label them haters and intolerant and you also automatically label those who who support it as being wihtout hate......very general and without much support.

I know where you're coming from...there are some who are that way, but from my experiences it is a small percentage.

Does anyone have medical documentions on these psychological disorders? I am not denying it, but there are a lot of things in parent child relationships that can cause psychological disorders, not just this issue...and there are lots of times that it does not at all.

Sorry, forgot to put this in.

The difference in point is that I believe it is not what is being taught, but how it is being taught that is the issue...thjis is what can cause hate.....it seems the opposite thought is that it is only what is being taught that births hate

You start off from a false assumption about what I was saying and proceed to base your "argument" from there. If, you think, what I've said it unclear, you can ask for clarification, but up to that, the rest of your argument can be thrown out.

A parent who teaches their child that there is a reason to deny someone the respect that any human being deserves is a bad parent. Speeders and children who hit children, since those are the examples you gave, give themselves reasons to be scolded or ostracized: they are harming, or risking harm to, others. Yet you want to lump in with them a category of people that harms no one nor runs the risk of harming anyone. Why, exactly, does homosexuality deserve that classification? That is, you choose to tell your kids that people who speed are bad people, people who hit other people are bad people, and people who love the wrong people are bad people.

That difference really shouldn't need to be pointed out to you. Your examples are straw men. You pretend they are along the same vein as homosexuality because they are easy to knock down, then when you knock them down, you say you've proven your point. This is a fallacy because it should be easily seen that speeders, abusers, and homosexuals are not the same.

If you don't see that in your next response, which I doubt you will, I won't respond because it won't be worth it.

First of all, let me correct something. My name is Craig and I'm far to hairy to ever be mistaken as someone's "mommy".

More importantly, I would like to clarify what I said.

This song is NOT about a girl that discovered she was gay and met another girl and established a relationship. This song is about a hetero girl (with a boyfriend) that goes to a party, has a few drinks and decides to start kissing some girl. (I assume that she is talking about more than just a peck or it wouldn't be a song.) She's kissing a girl that she doesn't know and she still doesn't even know her name. This song is not about homosexuality. It's a song about the making of "Girls Gone Wild". I wouldn't want my daughter at a party making out with some girl or guy she didn't even know. Intimate acts should be shared with people that are special. Not just anyone that happens to be handy. I would argue that girls and guys that engage in promiscuous behaviour are far more likely to suffer psychological problems that those that exercise some constraint.

Regarding the false and baseless accusations from RS, I find them both insulting and ignorant. Before you jump to judgement, I suggest you open your mind and actually read what I've written.

My original post had nothing to do with homosexuality, but since it's been turned into that, I will clarify my position. I do believe that engaging in homosexual acts is wrong and I teach my children this, just like I teach them that a lot of things are wrong. You may or may not agree with me on what is wrong or right. (Some people think that it is OK for adults to engage in sex acts with children.) I have never taught my kids to hate anyone. Despite the accusations by RS and his attack on something that I take very seriously (i.e. parenting my children), I would never even teach my kids to hate him.