We all remember when Britney and Madonna did it on MTV* and it was considered so racy. Now girl-on-girl kissing barely elicits a yawn. On Monday there were two girl-kissing stories on the banner of the HuffPost Entertainment section.
One is a scantily clad 16 year-old trying to show everyone what a big girl she is becoming. Another is a 45 year-old woman trying to change the conversation from her being a victim of her douchebag husband and remind everyone that she's still the goofy, fun-loving actress we all know and love. (I was actually surprised Sandra didn't try to grab 89 year-old "it girl" Betty White who was right there for the tonguing.)
And is anyone talking about either of these stories on twitter? No.
It should also be noted that Sandra kissed 60 year-old Meryl Streep on stage at one of the many award shows where they were going head to head in the best actress race.
So we have women of all ages kissing each other full on the mouth on the biggest stages imaginable. Sometimes to be funny. Sometimes to be taken seriously in a "look at me, I'm edgy" way.
Then in the New York Times, Charles M. Blow has a really interesting piece about "Americans' evolving views on homosexuality" and a report that found acceptance has increased more among men than women. Fascinating.
But still on Modern Family the gay couple never kisses. (I love Ed O'Neill's grumpy response to this which is basically "I never get to kiss Sofia Vergara either!" Which is like a black person complaining they were followed around a department store by security and a white person saying, "Yea, I always find them to be so rude there." Um, not the same issue.)
So what does it mean that two women kissing is played for laughs? Or that we know doing it in front of Bradley Cooper will make him (and every other man watching) smile? Or that Miley's routine will make men happy in, ahem, other ways? But the gay couple on a show that is known for its edginess never kiss because... it might make straight men uncomfortable? They aren't even allowed a peck on the lips like the straight married couple does (and would seem weird if they didn't)?
Isn't all of this being dictated by what straight men want or don't want? But isn't that report saying that straight men have been forced to evolve, most interestingly by the public unmasking of rent boy lovers like Ted Haggard and George Rekers, and doesn't change usually result from being made uncomfortable?
*Look at Madonna's arms - they were normal then!