Is She or Isn’t She?
Sep 22nd, 2008 | By Gooner | Category: This and That
Lindsay Lohan has been in the “news” lately after being spotted kissing another woman – Samantha Ronson. The minute I saw this the devil landed on my shoulder, telling me that Lindz was just pathetically trying to get into the gossip pages to heighten her status. I’m not saying that she kissed her friend for that reason but when I read the “story” I just thought it seemed liked she was making the most out of it. Lapping it up if you will.
But then I though – how dare I? Maybe she is gay/bi/whatever and if so then she’s been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and is trying to deal with it. Either way, it got me thinking – why do stories like this annoy me so much?
After all, it can’t be easy being in the limelight from such an early age, look at the likes of Michael Jackson and Britney Spears and the car crash years they’ve had. I don’t envy them the effects of fame. However, I just get annoyed when celebrities use sexuality to up themselves within this sordid world of gossip pages they live.
On the one had we have people like Jodie Foster who we’d all love to come out, we get frustrated by her decision not to do so although we all respect her right to make that decision for herself. On the other hand we have people like Lindsay who seem, at least, to be using sexuality to heighten their notoriety without ever actually saying anything other than they’re just friends.
Where are the Ellens in the world? Why can’t we have more of them? Women like Rosie O’Donnell, kd lang and all the others who just come out and then get on with things? Women young lesbians can look up to and see that being gay doesn’t have to get you in the tabloids or on E! News, it can just be another part of you that doesn’t have to marginalise you at all?
Maybe Lindsay is gay, perhaps Samantha is her girlfriend. Well if so just say so and get on with it. If not come out and say so and get on with it. Either way, stop using the story to get column inches!!!
Then there is the angel on my shoulder. Lez Lohan was off the rails, drinking, partying and doing all sorts when she met Samantha. Now, even her mother says she has cleaned her life up. Not that Mama Lohan is much of a judge, but you have to admit that the column inches she gets arent’ about being off her head anymore, but being in love. That has to count for something. How much worse it could be if she had been a ‘good girl’, met Samantha and suddenly done a Winehouse.
Let’s be realistic. Lindsay Lohan is one person. Her life has been fodder for the gossip mags and those mags shouldn’t matter, but they do. In a recent survey more young women wanted to be Amy Winehouse than any other famous person. Rightly or wrongly, celebrity rules in this world and the E! and Heats of the world are their way to influence.
So maybe I should just be happy for Samantha and Lindsey, living their lives and loving each other. If it’s a publicity stunt,it’ll run out of steam soon enough.
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The media have been talking about the two of them for months at this stage – i reckon its gone past the point of a publicity stunt, into this might be a real relationship terroritory?!
Thanks for the comment.
I know what you mean, this particular story seems have grown legs.
In general though, I do get frustrated with people using stories like this to gain notoriety
What do you mean tho by “gaining notoriety”?-it seems that the two of them are actually in a relationship together – its not like Pink or Robbie Williams toying with the idea of same sex action to bring in the gay audience. And to be honest, I think its a bit harsh to judge someones relationship from snippits of tabloid gossip that were printed in Heat , or Now magazine.
I couldn’t agree more – hence the article
My use of the phrase “gain notoriety” was used when talking “in general” not about this story
First murmurs over a year ago. See here: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/Lindsay+Lohan-37397.html
I think it’s very difficult for celebrities to be like Ellen and KD. I know myself that if I was in the public eye I would not “come out” either. I’d let people think what they wanted but I wouldn’t feel obliged to inform the world about my relationship(s).
Maybe Lohan’s drinking and partying was as a result of her struggling to come to terms with her lesbianism. Her father is a devout Christian and it can be hard enough to learn to love yourself as you are without the whole world watching and waiting.
Just my
I have to say, using (or abusing) sexuality to gain publicity is definitely dispicable. A fair criticism, however, should be towards someone like Katie Perry: good Christian straight girl (“I hope my boyfriend don’t mind”? – please..); whereas in the case of Lohan, it appears that she’s in a relationship with Ronson: just look at their respective blogs [link and link] – it’s not a sensationalist publicity-stunt, it’s just part of their lives.
As for expecting someone to come out, I don’t think that should be expected. As was mentioned above, some people are in a position where their careers are successful enough so that they might be in a position to come out and not be very badly affected by a negative reaction; but look, even, at Ellen: her series was axed after she came out, and (initially, at least) her career suffered. In Lohan’s case, she’s at the beginning of her adult career.
And let’s not forget two important things: one, this is America. For an actor – or musician – to come out, they may as well be coming out in Iran, such is the conservative (minus, perhaps, the hangings). America – and especially Hollywood – is an EXTREMELY conservative country for queers. Secondly, what the hell is the demand for gays to come out? Do we see demands for Brad Pitt to come out as straight? Do we have tabloids hanging around places where he frequents, detailing how he’s hand-holding! and kissing! and hugging! a woman? No. (It’s what I call “the presumption of heterosexuality”.) But if us queers show affection to our partners, it’s all over the news.
(Oh, and a disclosure, I didn’t even know who Lindsay Lohan was until I saw some DVD this summer, so I’m not especially a fan, and I’m late in on all this stuff about her relationships – so I promise I’m neutral in that sense!)
Voila! One public decalaration of their relationship coming up!
http://www.breakingnews.ie/entertainment/mhqlidididql/
I don’t think Lindsay Lohan was using sexuality to gain publicity. In fact, I think she’s probably one of the few celebrities to treat her sexuality in a completely reasonable and smart way. Until yesterday (when she just admitted off the cuff, yes, Ronson was her girlfriend and they were going out for ages) there was no statement or PR to the fact that they were a couple. They would wander around holding hands or kissing or going out or whatever like any couple and seemed to send a message to the media that there was nothing to write home about with regards to what they were doing, they were just together. It kind of reminded me of Cynthia Nixon’s attitude when journalists started questioning her about her relationship, she would just say “I’m just a woman who happens to be in love with another woman.”
It normalises the whole thing, especially in the media’s eyes, because then they feel dumb and embarrassed to be constantly prying.
I think Lindsay and Samantha are as good as any lesbian role model could be for girls too, they are totally chill about the fact that they are a couple, and that has been gradually accepted by the celebrity media.
In conclusion, in celebration of yesterday being International Li-Lo and Sam-Ro Coming Out Day, I went and got a chipper and lost €40 at poker. Shit buzz.
Yay, fair play to them
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/lindsay-lohan-confirms-she–is-a-lesbian-13982323.html
The very week you put this up Gooner!
I think she must’ve read it and been inspired to come out
You said it
But it’s great to see such conversation – thanks everyone
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