Discuss the reasons that college women kiss other women according to the article “Straight Girls Kissing”. Please use quotes and ideas from the reading to formulate your answer.
Discuss the reasons that college women kiss other women according to the article “Straight Girls Kissing”. Please use quotes and ideas from the reading to formulate your answer.
Social Psychology (10th Edition)
10th Edition
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ1
Related questions
Question
Discuss the reasons that college women kiss other women according to the article “Straight Girls Kissing”.
Please use quotes and ideas from the reading to formulate your answer.
![STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
LEILA J. RUPP AND VERTA TAYLOR
44
CATEGORIZING SEX
STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
Phe phenomenon of presumably straight other men, they certainly don't make out at
girls kissing and making out with other parties for the pleasure of women.
girls at college parties and at bars is
everywhere in contemporary popular culture, as depicted in "Hooking Up: Sex in Guyland"
from Katy Perry's hit song, "I Kissed a Girl," to in Chapter 8, facilitates casual sexual interac-
a Tyra Banks online poll on attitudes toward tions (ranging from kissing and making out to
prls who kiss girls in bars, to AskMen.com's oral sex and intercourse) between students who
Top 10: Chick Kissing Scenes." Why do girls meet at parties or bars. Our campus is no excep-
who aren't lesbians kiss girls? Some think it's tion. The University of California, Santa Bar-
ust another example of "girls gone wild," seek-
ng to attract the boys who watch. Others, school (much to the administration's relief, it's
such as psychologist Lisa Diamond, point to declining in those rankings). In a student pop-
women's "sexual fluidity," suggesting that the ulation of twenty thousand, more than half of
sehavior could be part of how women shape the students are female and slightly under half
eir sexual identities, even using a hetero-
erual social scene as a way to transition to a
sexual or lesbian identity.
These speculations touch on a number of thousand female UC Santa Barbara students
ues in the sociology of sexuality. The fact who responded to sociologist Paula England's
hat young women on college campuses are online College and Social Life Survey on
gaging in new kinds of sexual behaviors hooking-up practices on campus, just under one
rings home the fundamental concept of the percent identified as homosexual, three percent
social construction of sexuality-that whom
e desire, what kinds of sexual acts we engage
a and how we identify sexually is profoundly that far fewer people identify as lesbian or gay
aped by the societies in which we live. Fur- than are sexually attracted to the same sex or
ermore, boys enjoying the sight of girls mak- have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior. Soci-
g out recalls the feminist notion of the "male ologist Edward Laumann and his colleagues,
e," calling attention to the power embodied in the National Health and Social Life Survey.
men as viewers and women as the viewed.
he sexual fluidity that is potentially embod-
d in women's intimate interactions in public percent had experienced same-sex desire or
minds us that sexuality is gendered and that engaged in lesbian sex. The opposite is true for
cnual desire, sexual behavior, and sexual iden-
do not always match. That is, men do not,
= least in contemporary American culture, From "Straight Girls Kissing by Leila J. Rupp and Verta
perience the same kind of fluidity. Although Copyright O 2010. American Sociological Association.
sy may identify as straight and have sex with
men, who are more likely to have had sex with really not. I feel like thev just take it above and
a man than to report finding men attractive. beyond." Another student thinks "women have
Across time and cultures (and, as sociologist a little bit more freedom here." But despite the
Jane Ward has pointed out, even in the present unreality of life in Isla Vista, there's no reason
among white straight-identified men), sex with to think life here is fundamentally different
having fun like when my roommate and I drunk... But when she's sober she's starting
de at our date party
w. Not experimentation at all." Another stu- herself "technically" bisexual explained that
who has had her friends kiss her, insists she hates that term because in Isla Vista "it
they do that for attention
le forms around them... egging them on
aking pictures." One woman admitted that
he packered up for the attention, but when "The elosest I ever eame to thinking that was,
aed if it had anything to do with experimen-
ion, added "maybe with some people. I think drinking, These stories make clear that experi-
me it was a little bit, yeah."
It is alcehol and for
to like girls." And another student who called
The hookup culture on college campuses,
other men, as long as a man plays the insertive than on other large campuses.
role in a sexual encounter, can bolster, rather
. kind of like basically means that you make out with girls
at parties." Before her first relationship with a
woman, she never thought about bisexuality:
At Isla Vista parties, the practice of presum-
than undermine, heterosexuality. Does the ably heterosexual women kissing and making
out with other women is widespread. As one
The reigning assumption about girls kiss- student reported, "It's just normal for most
ing girls in the party scene is that they do it to people now, friends make out with cach other."
attract the attention of men. But the concept of The student newspaper sex columnist began
sexual fluidity and the lack of fit among desire, her column in October 2008, "I kissed a girl
and liked it," recommending "if you're a girl
who hasn't quite warmed up to a little experi-
mentation with one of your own. then I sug-
gest you grab a gal and get to it." She posed the
conducted by undergraduates as part of a class "burning question on every male spectator's
Is it real or is it for show?" As it turns
out, students offered three different explana-
tions of why students do this: to get attention
from men, to experiment with same-sex activ-
hey, I'd probably make out with a girl if I was
same work for women?
mentation in the heterosexual context of the
bara, has a long-standing reputation as a party
hookup culture and college party scene pro-
vides a safe space for some women to explore
non-heterosexual possibilities.
EXPERIMENTATION
behavior, and identity suggest that there may
be more going on than meets the male gaze.
A series of formal and informal interviews with
diverse female college students at our university,
Crher women agree that experimentation is part
he story. One student who identifies as straight SAME-ŞEX DESIRE
s1 have kissed girls on multiple occasions."
Cne night she and a friend were "hammered, Some women go beyond just liking to make out
ing down the street, and we're getting really and admit to same-sex desire as the motivating
ndiy and just started making out and taking factor. One student who defined her sexuality
res" which they then posted on Facebook. as liking sex with men but feeling "attracted
then the last time, this is a little bit more
onal, but was when 1 actually had a three- coming out process
me Which was at a party and obvicusly didn't girls and I really like kissing girls." Said another
pen during the party." She mentions "bisex student, Tve always considered myself straight,
ndencies" as an explanation, in addition to but since I've been living here I've had several
g attention: "I would actualy call it maybe sexual experiences with women. So I guess
are students of color, primarily Chicano/Latino
and Asian American. About a third are first-
generation college students. Out of over two
assignment, supports the sociological scholar- mind.
ship on the complexity of women's sexuality.
more towards girls than guys" described her
s realizing, "I really like
THE COLLEGE PARTY SCENE
ity, and out of same-sex desire.
What is most distinctive about UC Santa Bar-
bara is the adjacent community of Isla Vista,
a densely populated area made up of two-
thirds students and one-third primarily poor Girls kissing other girls can be a turn-on for
and working-ciass Mexican American families.
House parties, fraternity and sorority parties, it well know. A student told us, "It's usually for
dance parties (often with, as one woman stu- display for guys who are usually surrounding
dent put it, "some sort of slutty theme to them"),
and random parties open to anyone who stops to be done in order to like, you know, for the
by flourish on the weekends. Women students guys, not like for their own pleasure or desire,
describe Isla Vista as "unrealistic to the rest of but to like. I don't know, entertain the guys."
the world... It's a little wild," "very promiscu- Alcohol is usually involved: "It's usually
ous, a lot of experimenting and going crazy," brought on by, I don't know, like shots or drink-
and "like a sovereign nation... a space where ing. or people kind of saying something to like
people feel really comfortable to let down their cheer it on or whatever. And it's usually done
guards and to kind of let loose." Alcohol flows in order to turn guys on or to seek male atten-
freely, drugs are available, women sport skimpy tion in some way." One student who admits to
clothing, and students engage in a lot of hooking giving her friend what she calls "love pecks"
up. One sorority member described parties as and engaging in some "booby grabbing" says
featuring "a lot of, you know, sexual dance. And
some people, you know, like pretty much are usually girls that are super drunk that are try-
fucking on the dance floer even though they're ing to get attention from guys or are just really
GETTING ATTENTION
I would consider myself, like, bisexual at this
like experimentation." Another student,
a calls herself straight but "bi-curious," says point." She at first identified as "one of those
sdo it for attention, hut also, "It's a good time girls" who makes out at parties, but then admit-
hem, something they may not have the cour- ted that she also had sexual experiences with
express themselves otherwise, if they're in
mom alone, it makes them more comfortable identification to bisexual: "I may have fallen
t because other people are receiving plea-
from them." She tokd us about being drunk
zatheme party ("Alice in Fuckland"): "And me purposc. It was more of just my own desire to
Maria' just started going at it in the kitchen. be with, like to try that with a woman." Another
ad this dude, he whispers in iny ear, 'Every. bisexual woman who sometimes makes out
es watching. People can see you. But me and with one of her girlfriends in public thinks
aria' just like to kiss. I don't think it was like other women might "only do it in a public ert-
aly a spectacle thing. like we weren't teasing ting because they're afraid of that side
body. We just like to make out. So we might sexuality, because they were told to b
= exception to the rule," she giggled.
In another interview, a student described only for the show of it, even though they .ay
frend as liking "boys and girls when she's like it they can't admit that they do."
as bisexual, and nearly two percent as "not sure."
National data on same-sex sexuality shows
men in our culture, as the girls who engage in
women in private. At this point she shifted her
them and like cheering them on. And it seems
into that trap of like kissing a girl to impress
a guy, but I can't really recollect doing that on
found that less than two percent of women
identified as lesbian or bisexual, but over eight
sexual you know
So if they make
Taylor, in Contexts, August 2010, Vol. 9, No. 3 pp. 28-32.
"I think it's mainly for attention definitely. It's
Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.
46
CATEGORIZING SEX
The ability to kiss and make out with girls the girls that you know just casually make out
in public without having to declare a lesbian or
bisexual identity makes it possible for women selves straight. I consider myself straight." Said
with same-scx desires to be part of the regu- another. "I would still think they're straight
lar college party scene, and the act of mak- girls. Unless I saw some, like level of like emo-
ing out in public has the potential to lead to tional and like attraction there." A bisexual
more extensive sexual activity in private. One student, though, thought "they're definitely bi-
student described falling in love with her best curious at the least. .. I think that a woman
friend in middle school, but being "too chicken who actually does it for enjoyment and like
shit
STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
with their girlfriends would consider them-
rejected the label "lesbian" because "1 whatever, [and] they think that we're doing it
e prls but "guys are still totally attractive to
She stated that "to be a lesbian meant...
dbave to commit yourself to it one hun-
percent. Like you'd have to be in it sexu-
oe'd have to be in it emotionally. And I
i you were you wouldn't have that attrac- their same-sex interactions in a more private
ior men... if you were a lesbian."
contrast to "heteroflexibility," a term
in use by young women, students hold "mostly straight," but too much physical attrac-
ch more rigid, if unarticulated, notion of
ban identity. "It's just like It's okay because
ee both drunk and we're friends. It's not
we identify as lesbian in any way...
woman who has kissed her roommate is
for them, or we want them to join or whatever.
It gets pretty old."
So there is a lot of leeway for women's same-
sex behavior with a straight identity. But it is
different than for straight men, who experience
space, away from the gaze of women. Straight
women can be "barsexual" or "bi-curious" or
to make the first move" because "I never knows that she likes that and that she desires
know if they are qucer or not." Her first sexual it again, I would say would be more leaning
relationship with a bisexual woman included towards bisexual."
the woman's boyfriend as well. In this way, the
fact that sorne women have their first same-sex EVERYBODY BUT LESBIANS
sexual encounter in a threesome with a man is
tion or emotional investment crosses over the
line of heterosexuality. What this suggests is
that heterosexual women's options for physical
intimacy are expanding, although such activity
has little salience for identity, partner choice.
an extension of the safe heterosexual space for So, although girls who kiss girls are not "differ-
ent from anyone else," if they have an emotional
reaction or really enjoy it or want to do it again,
then they've apparently crossed the line of het-
erosexuality. Diamond found that lesbians in
that she can tell the difference between or political allegiances. But the line between
t women and lesbians: "I haven't ever lesbian and non-lesbian, whether bisexual or
like an actual like lesbian couple enjoy-
themselves." Another commented 1 mean,
ne thing if you are, if you do identily as RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
nd that you're expressing something. A Lias M. Dumsad. 2009. Sesaa! Flaidity Undenianding
exploring same-sex desire.
straight, remains firmly intact.
HETEROFLEXIBILITY
Obviously, in at least some cases, more is going her study who had been exclusively attracted
on here than drunken women making out for
the pleasure of men. Sexual fluidity is cerlainly only group that didn't report changes in thcir
relevant; in Lisa Diamond's ten-year study of sexual identities. Sociologist Arlene Stein, in
young women who originally identified as les- her study of lesbian feminist communities in
bian or bisexual, she found a great decal of move-
ment in sexual desire, intimate relationships, struggles around the identity "lesbian." Women
and sexual identities. The women moved in all who devcloped relationships with men but
directions, from lesbian to bisexual and hetero- continued to identify as lesbians were called
sexual, bisexual to lesbian and heterosexual,
and, notably, from all identities to "unlabeled." sidered themselves "rcal lesbians." And while
From a psychological perspective, Diamond straight college students today can make out
argues for the importance of both biology and with women and call themselves "bi-curious"
culture in shaping women as scxually fluid, with without challenge to their heterosexual iden-
a greater capacity for attractions to both female
and male partners than men. Certainly the extend to lesbians. A straight, bi-curious
women who identify as heterosexual but [are] woman explained that she didn't think "the
into kissing other women fit her notion of sex-
ual fluidity. Said one straight-identified student, off because I like guys too much, you know."
"It's not like they're way different from anyone And she didn't think she had "enough sexual
else. They're just making out."
Mostly, though, students didn't think that bisexual." Another student,
making out had any impact on onc's identity herself as "a free flowing spir.
as heterosexual: "And yeah, I imagine a lot of multiple relationships with straig. dentified
to and involved with other women were the
al woman is less sure,
first stating
Women's Love and Deaire. (Harvard Lniversity Preas).
A langitudinal study of women's shifting sexual hehaviors
and identitios in the contermporary United States.
Laura Hamiltoa. 2007. "Trading on I leterosexuality
Callege Women's Gender Strategies and Homophobia."
Gender &e Seciety, 21 145-72 Looks al the sexual
constructions adopted by college-aged women.
z aghty percent of the making out at par-
s for men, then hesitating because "that
alr excludes the
iewing of like women who absolutely love
evomen, and they show that openly so, I
k that it could be either context." At that Ariene Stein. 1997. Sex and Sensibility: Stories of a
she changed the percentage to fifty per-
Cause I guess I never know if a woman
z preferably into women or if it's more of Elisabeth Morgan Thompson and Elizaheth M. Morgan.
acial game." A bisexual woman described
g her girlfriend at a party "and some guy
up and poured beer on us and said some-
g like 'stop kissing her you bitch," sug-
ng that any sign that women are kissing Jane Ward 2008. Dude Sex: White Maseulinitics and
heir own pleasure puts them over the line.
vent on to add that "we've gotten plenty
s staring at us though, when we kiss or
mmunity and my
the 1980s, also painted a picture of boundary
Lesbian Generation. (University of California Press).
A sociological study of American lesbian feminist
cammunities in the 1960s
"ex-lesbians" or "fakers" by those who con-
2008. Mostly Straight' Yourg Wornen: Variations
in Sexual Behavior and (dentity Development."
Derelopmental Prycbology, 44/1:15-21. A paychological
aludy of U.S. college students' shifting sexual behaviors
and identilies
"Authentie' Heterosesuahty Among Dutles Who Have
Sex With Dudes." Secualities, 11:414-434. A sociological
study that complicates the concept of "men who have
Sex with men."
tity, the same kind of flexibility does not
lesbian community would accept me right
experience with... women to
idered
ribed
s had](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F05dcabca-9985-4484-b753-bbdaf4c3f6e5%2F247bfdc4-1d16-4d08-94cf-d227cca46b12%2Fqkfytov_processed.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
LEILA J. RUPP AND VERTA TAYLOR
44
CATEGORIZING SEX
STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
Phe phenomenon of presumably straight other men, they certainly don't make out at
girls kissing and making out with other parties for the pleasure of women.
girls at college parties and at bars is
everywhere in contemporary popular culture, as depicted in "Hooking Up: Sex in Guyland"
from Katy Perry's hit song, "I Kissed a Girl," to in Chapter 8, facilitates casual sexual interac-
a Tyra Banks online poll on attitudes toward tions (ranging from kissing and making out to
prls who kiss girls in bars, to AskMen.com's oral sex and intercourse) between students who
Top 10: Chick Kissing Scenes." Why do girls meet at parties or bars. Our campus is no excep-
who aren't lesbians kiss girls? Some think it's tion. The University of California, Santa Bar-
ust another example of "girls gone wild," seek-
ng to attract the boys who watch. Others, school (much to the administration's relief, it's
such as psychologist Lisa Diamond, point to declining in those rankings). In a student pop-
women's "sexual fluidity," suggesting that the ulation of twenty thousand, more than half of
sehavior could be part of how women shape the students are female and slightly under half
eir sexual identities, even using a hetero-
erual social scene as a way to transition to a
sexual or lesbian identity.
These speculations touch on a number of thousand female UC Santa Barbara students
ues in the sociology of sexuality. The fact who responded to sociologist Paula England's
hat young women on college campuses are online College and Social Life Survey on
gaging in new kinds of sexual behaviors hooking-up practices on campus, just under one
rings home the fundamental concept of the percent identified as homosexual, three percent
social construction of sexuality-that whom
e desire, what kinds of sexual acts we engage
a and how we identify sexually is profoundly that far fewer people identify as lesbian or gay
aped by the societies in which we live. Fur- than are sexually attracted to the same sex or
ermore, boys enjoying the sight of girls mak- have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior. Soci-
g out recalls the feminist notion of the "male ologist Edward Laumann and his colleagues,
e," calling attention to the power embodied in the National Health and Social Life Survey.
men as viewers and women as the viewed.
he sexual fluidity that is potentially embod-
d in women's intimate interactions in public percent had experienced same-sex desire or
minds us that sexuality is gendered and that engaged in lesbian sex. The opposite is true for
cnual desire, sexual behavior, and sexual iden-
do not always match. That is, men do not,
= least in contemporary American culture, From "Straight Girls Kissing by Leila J. Rupp and Verta
perience the same kind of fluidity. Although Copyright O 2010. American Sociological Association.
sy may identify as straight and have sex with
men, who are more likely to have had sex with really not. I feel like thev just take it above and
a man than to report finding men attractive. beyond." Another student thinks "women have
Across time and cultures (and, as sociologist a little bit more freedom here." But despite the
Jane Ward has pointed out, even in the present unreality of life in Isla Vista, there's no reason
among white straight-identified men), sex with to think life here is fundamentally different
having fun like when my roommate and I drunk... But when she's sober she's starting
de at our date party
w. Not experimentation at all." Another stu- herself "technically" bisexual explained that
who has had her friends kiss her, insists she hates that term because in Isla Vista "it
they do that for attention
le forms around them... egging them on
aking pictures." One woman admitted that
he packered up for the attention, but when "The elosest I ever eame to thinking that was,
aed if it had anything to do with experimen-
ion, added "maybe with some people. I think drinking, These stories make clear that experi-
me it was a little bit, yeah."
It is alcehol and for
to like girls." And another student who called
The hookup culture on college campuses,
other men, as long as a man plays the insertive than on other large campuses.
role in a sexual encounter, can bolster, rather
. kind of like basically means that you make out with girls
at parties." Before her first relationship with a
woman, she never thought about bisexuality:
At Isla Vista parties, the practice of presum-
than undermine, heterosexuality. Does the ably heterosexual women kissing and making
out with other women is widespread. As one
The reigning assumption about girls kiss- student reported, "It's just normal for most
ing girls in the party scene is that they do it to people now, friends make out with cach other."
attract the attention of men. But the concept of The student newspaper sex columnist began
sexual fluidity and the lack of fit among desire, her column in October 2008, "I kissed a girl
and liked it," recommending "if you're a girl
who hasn't quite warmed up to a little experi-
mentation with one of your own. then I sug-
gest you grab a gal and get to it." She posed the
conducted by undergraduates as part of a class "burning question on every male spectator's
Is it real or is it for show?" As it turns
out, students offered three different explana-
tions of why students do this: to get attention
from men, to experiment with same-sex activ-
hey, I'd probably make out with a girl if I was
same work for women?
mentation in the heterosexual context of the
bara, has a long-standing reputation as a party
hookup culture and college party scene pro-
vides a safe space for some women to explore
non-heterosexual possibilities.
EXPERIMENTATION
behavior, and identity suggest that there may
be more going on than meets the male gaze.
A series of formal and informal interviews with
diverse female college students at our university,
Crher women agree that experimentation is part
he story. One student who identifies as straight SAME-ŞEX DESIRE
s1 have kissed girls on multiple occasions."
Cne night she and a friend were "hammered, Some women go beyond just liking to make out
ing down the street, and we're getting really and admit to same-sex desire as the motivating
ndiy and just started making out and taking factor. One student who defined her sexuality
res" which they then posted on Facebook. as liking sex with men but feeling "attracted
then the last time, this is a little bit more
onal, but was when 1 actually had a three- coming out process
me Which was at a party and obvicusly didn't girls and I really like kissing girls." Said another
pen during the party." She mentions "bisex student, Tve always considered myself straight,
ndencies" as an explanation, in addition to but since I've been living here I've had several
g attention: "I would actualy call it maybe sexual experiences with women. So I guess
are students of color, primarily Chicano/Latino
and Asian American. About a third are first-
generation college students. Out of over two
assignment, supports the sociological scholar- mind.
ship on the complexity of women's sexuality.
more towards girls than guys" described her
s realizing, "I really like
THE COLLEGE PARTY SCENE
ity, and out of same-sex desire.
What is most distinctive about UC Santa Bar-
bara is the adjacent community of Isla Vista,
a densely populated area made up of two-
thirds students and one-third primarily poor Girls kissing other girls can be a turn-on for
and working-ciass Mexican American families.
House parties, fraternity and sorority parties, it well know. A student told us, "It's usually for
dance parties (often with, as one woman stu- display for guys who are usually surrounding
dent put it, "some sort of slutty theme to them"),
and random parties open to anyone who stops to be done in order to like, you know, for the
by flourish on the weekends. Women students guys, not like for their own pleasure or desire,
describe Isla Vista as "unrealistic to the rest of but to like. I don't know, entertain the guys."
the world... It's a little wild," "very promiscu- Alcohol is usually involved: "It's usually
ous, a lot of experimenting and going crazy," brought on by, I don't know, like shots or drink-
and "like a sovereign nation... a space where ing. or people kind of saying something to like
people feel really comfortable to let down their cheer it on or whatever. And it's usually done
guards and to kind of let loose." Alcohol flows in order to turn guys on or to seek male atten-
freely, drugs are available, women sport skimpy tion in some way." One student who admits to
clothing, and students engage in a lot of hooking giving her friend what she calls "love pecks"
up. One sorority member described parties as and engaging in some "booby grabbing" says
featuring "a lot of, you know, sexual dance. And
some people, you know, like pretty much are usually girls that are super drunk that are try-
fucking on the dance floer even though they're ing to get attention from guys or are just really
GETTING ATTENTION
I would consider myself, like, bisexual at this
like experimentation." Another student,
a calls herself straight but "bi-curious," says point." She at first identified as "one of those
sdo it for attention, hut also, "It's a good time girls" who makes out at parties, but then admit-
hem, something they may not have the cour- ted that she also had sexual experiences with
express themselves otherwise, if they're in
mom alone, it makes them more comfortable identification to bisexual: "I may have fallen
t because other people are receiving plea-
from them." She tokd us about being drunk
zatheme party ("Alice in Fuckland"): "And me purposc. It was more of just my own desire to
Maria' just started going at it in the kitchen. be with, like to try that with a woman." Another
ad this dude, he whispers in iny ear, 'Every. bisexual woman who sometimes makes out
es watching. People can see you. But me and with one of her girlfriends in public thinks
aria' just like to kiss. I don't think it was like other women might "only do it in a public ert-
aly a spectacle thing. like we weren't teasing ting because they're afraid of that side
body. We just like to make out. So we might sexuality, because they were told to b
= exception to the rule," she giggled.
In another interview, a student described only for the show of it, even though they .ay
frend as liking "boys and girls when she's like it they can't admit that they do."
as bisexual, and nearly two percent as "not sure."
National data on same-sex sexuality shows
men in our culture, as the girls who engage in
women in private. At this point she shifted her
them and like cheering them on. And it seems
into that trap of like kissing a girl to impress
a guy, but I can't really recollect doing that on
found that less than two percent of women
identified as lesbian or bisexual, but over eight
sexual you know
So if they make
Taylor, in Contexts, August 2010, Vol. 9, No. 3 pp. 28-32.
"I think it's mainly for attention definitely. It's
Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.
46
CATEGORIZING SEX
The ability to kiss and make out with girls the girls that you know just casually make out
in public without having to declare a lesbian or
bisexual identity makes it possible for women selves straight. I consider myself straight." Said
with same-scx desires to be part of the regu- another. "I would still think they're straight
lar college party scene, and the act of mak- girls. Unless I saw some, like level of like emo-
ing out in public has the potential to lead to tional and like attraction there." A bisexual
more extensive sexual activity in private. One student, though, thought "they're definitely bi-
student described falling in love with her best curious at the least. .. I think that a woman
friend in middle school, but being "too chicken who actually does it for enjoyment and like
shit
STRAIGHT GIRLS KISSING
with their girlfriends would consider them-
rejected the label "lesbian" because "1 whatever, [and] they think that we're doing it
e prls but "guys are still totally attractive to
She stated that "to be a lesbian meant...
dbave to commit yourself to it one hun-
percent. Like you'd have to be in it sexu-
oe'd have to be in it emotionally. And I
i you were you wouldn't have that attrac- their same-sex interactions in a more private
ior men... if you were a lesbian."
contrast to "heteroflexibility," a term
in use by young women, students hold "mostly straight," but too much physical attrac-
ch more rigid, if unarticulated, notion of
ban identity. "It's just like It's okay because
ee both drunk and we're friends. It's not
we identify as lesbian in any way...
woman who has kissed her roommate is
for them, or we want them to join or whatever.
It gets pretty old."
So there is a lot of leeway for women's same-
sex behavior with a straight identity. But it is
different than for straight men, who experience
space, away from the gaze of women. Straight
women can be "barsexual" or "bi-curious" or
to make the first move" because "I never knows that she likes that and that she desires
know if they are qucer or not." Her first sexual it again, I would say would be more leaning
relationship with a bisexual woman included towards bisexual."
the woman's boyfriend as well. In this way, the
fact that sorne women have their first same-sex EVERYBODY BUT LESBIANS
sexual encounter in a threesome with a man is
tion or emotional investment crosses over the
line of heterosexuality. What this suggests is
that heterosexual women's options for physical
intimacy are expanding, although such activity
has little salience for identity, partner choice.
an extension of the safe heterosexual space for So, although girls who kiss girls are not "differ-
ent from anyone else," if they have an emotional
reaction or really enjoy it or want to do it again,
then they've apparently crossed the line of het-
erosexuality. Diamond found that lesbians in
that she can tell the difference between or political allegiances. But the line between
t women and lesbians: "I haven't ever lesbian and non-lesbian, whether bisexual or
like an actual like lesbian couple enjoy-
themselves." Another commented 1 mean,
ne thing if you are, if you do identily as RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
nd that you're expressing something. A Lias M. Dumsad. 2009. Sesaa! Flaidity Undenianding
exploring same-sex desire.
straight, remains firmly intact.
HETEROFLEXIBILITY
Obviously, in at least some cases, more is going her study who had been exclusively attracted
on here than drunken women making out for
the pleasure of men. Sexual fluidity is cerlainly only group that didn't report changes in thcir
relevant; in Lisa Diamond's ten-year study of sexual identities. Sociologist Arlene Stein, in
young women who originally identified as les- her study of lesbian feminist communities in
bian or bisexual, she found a great decal of move-
ment in sexual desire, intimate relationships, struggles around the identity "lesbian." Women
and sexual identities. The women moved in all who devcloped relationships with men but
directions, from lesbian to bisexual and hetero- continued to identify as lesbians were called
sexual, bisexual to lesbian and heterosexual,
and, notably, from all identities to "unlabeled." sidered themselves "rcal lesbians." And while
From a psychological perspective, Diamond straight college students today can make out
argues for the importance of both biology and with women and call themselves "bi-curious"
culture in shaping women as scxually fluid, with without challenge to their heterosexual iden-
a greater capacity for attractions to both female
and male partners than men. Certainly the extend to lesbians. A straight, bi-curious
women who identify as heterosexual but [are] woman explained that she didn't think "the
into kissing other women fit her notion of sex-
ual fluidity. Said one straight-identified student, off because I like guys too much, you know."
"It's not like they're way different from anyone And she didn't think she had "enough sexual
else. They're just making out."
Mostly, though, students didn't think that bisexual." Another student,
making out had any impact on onc's identity herself as "a free flowing spir.
as heterosexual: "And yeah, I imagine a lot of multiple relationships with straig. dentified
to and involved with other women were the
al woman is less sure,
first stating
Women's Love and Deaire. (Harvard Lniversity Preas).
A langitudinal study of women's shifting sexual hehaviors
and identitios in the contermporary United States.
Laura Hamiltoa. 2007. "Trading on I leterosexuality
Callege Women's Gender Strategies and Homophobia."
Gender &e Seciety, 21 145-72 Looks al the sexual
constructions adopted by college-aged women.
z aghty percent of the making out at par-
s for men, then hesitating because "that
alr excludes the
iewing of like women who absolutely love
evomen, and they show that openly so, I
k that it could be either context." At that Ariene Stein. 1997. Sex and Sensibility: Stories of a
she changed the percentage to fifty per-
Cause I guess I never know if a woman
z preferably into women or if it's more of Elisabeth Morgan Thompson and Elizaheth M. Morgan.
acial game." A bisexual woman described
g her girlfriend at a party "and some guy
up and poured beer on us and said some-
g like 'stop kissing her you bitch," sug-
ng that any sign that women are kissing Jane Ward 2008. Dude Sex: White Maseulinitics and
heir own pleasure puts them over the line.
vent on to add that "we've gotten plenty
s staring at us though, when we kiss or
mmunity and my
the 1980s, also painted a picture of boundary
Lesbian Generation. (University of California Press).
A sociological study of American lesbian feminist
cammunities in the 1960s
"ex-lesbians" or "fakers" by those who con-
2008. Mostly Straight' Yourg Wornen: Variations
in Sexual Behavior and (dentity Development."
Derelopmental Prycbology, 44/1:15-21. A paychological
aludy of U.S. college students' shifting sexual behaviors
and identilies
"Authentie' Heterosesuahty Among Dutles Who Have
Sex With Dudes." Secualities, 11:414-434. A sociological
study that complicates the concept of "men who have
Sex with men."
tity, the same kind of flexibility does not
lesbian community would accept me right
experience with... women to
idered
ribed
s had
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