I really love Jessie J as a songwriter and an artist, and I think that she has a very strong sense of self that always comes through in her performances. I remember finding her on YouTube back before "Party in the USA", when she had a full-on shaved head and wore hoop earrings all the time. And I also distinctly remember watching her music video for "Do It Like A Dude" and feeling so excited when I did some research and found out that she was openly bisexual. I was so excited to see someone living their truth and putting a face out their for bisexuals (who are so often made invisible in this day and age).
Anyway, recently my girlfriend linked me to an article in the Guardian entitled "Jessie J Says Her Bisexuality Was a Phase. What a Shame." What a shame, indeed! I found myself feeling a lot of real anger towards Jessie, like she had personally betrayed me. After spending some time reflecting, I was able to articulate why.
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| I mean like...c'mon now. This is queer af. |
I feel like there are so many artists out there who want to exploit the LGBT community to build their fan base, and that is to be expected. But it's even more offensive and harmful to claim membership to the LGBT community and then renounce it whenever you find it convenient. Bisexuals are often told that the way they are is in fact "just a phase", that they are "really just gay but scared" or "really just straight but want attention". For Jessie J to come out as bisexual and later say it was just a phase only adds to the cannon of misunderstanding.
I wanted to bring this up because I feel that it isn't just a one-time thing, but more of a cultural phenomenon. In 2013, Lady Gaga spoke out and said that her bisexuality was "not a lie", but at the Pride Parade in 2014, she posted this picture on Instagram with this caption:
First of all, straights "unleashing" their "gayness" doesn't even make any damn sense. Second of all, to retract your queer identity in such a cavalier way is beyond disrespectful to those who are authentically queer.
Both of these experiences have taught me to be wary of celebrities who claim bisexuality, which honestly saddens me. I want to trust and believe in people's identities, but I've definitely become jaded due to multiple instances of feeling betrayed and exploited.
Katie, your post is bold and extremely interesting! The topic you raise is important and should be mentioned and talked about more! Unfortunately, the LGBT movement has now become more of a cultural phenomenon, steering away from its true beauty and essence. I am personally straight, but I still find it extremely offensive when celebrities "use" this movement to gain fame and publicity! It used to be tabooed around the world and looked down upon, and now that the LGBT community have gained their rights and their voices to express themselves the way God made them, celebrities and even politicians and other glorified people in the media are using this celebration as a tool for ingenuity and to keep up with the trend. As soon as they feel it dying down they immediately turn to something else that will allow them to stay at the top and tip of everyone's mouths! It is selfish and insincere, but don't forget that celebrities careers aren't just made up of their acting roles and performances, but also their personal lives and their interactions. Hopefully people grow up and realize that this so called "phase" is actually a way of life, love and happiness for a group of beautiful and peaceful people!!!
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