It's in almost every movie, or poster, or the underlying theme in a comedy stand up act. The fact that two girls in a seemingly sexual relationship is not something that is overlooked, but heavily oversexualized. However, how many movies and television shows do you see out there today that oversexualize two guys making out with one another or standing so close their faces are just centimeters apart? Exactly, because for whatever reason, our society believes that watching two men being intimate is slightly uncomfortable, but two women being intimate is every guy's dream.
The action of two women together being sexualized is almost so overdone that sometimes the viewer does not even notice that it is happening. Or, the viewer is one of the few that is enjoying the explicit content. Movies such as "Cruel Intentions" and "The Babysitter" are just two examples of this over-sexualization. Both movies include two women kissing in a scene that has nothing to contribute to the plot or portrays some kind of sexual fantasy for male viewers.
"Cruel Intentions" is the scene where two friends are discussing whether or not the other is a good kisser. Because female best friends certainly go around making out with one another for no reason other than to help one another learn how to kiss. "The Babysitter" includes a scene where a few teenagers are gathered around playing truth or dare and the girl is dared to kiss everyone in the circle. Of course, when she reaches the other female in the group, the kiss is drawn out longer, different camera angles, and even suggested the two girls used togue when bubblegum is exchanged. However, the movie is about how the babysitter is in a satanic cult, seems to be forgotten when filming this specific scene.
One of the most popular television shows in history is the ten season series of "Friends". One of the long ongoing jokes is one character named Joey, always excited to see two female characters hug or show any sort of friendly affection. Later in the series, the two characters, Rachel and Monica, tell Joey they will kiss for him if he lets them have their apartment back after a bet gone wrong. Though this is not seen on camera, the two girls walk into their apartment and leave Joey smiling. How this scene was necessary for the episode to continue is unknown. Joey also loves eating food, and Monica is a chef. Why could she not have offered to make Joey a four-course meal or his favorite dessert?
These few examples are just some of the ways Hollywood oversexualizes two women being together. Because of this, often times lesbians become the center of every male individual's fantasy. So why not the other way around? How come in Superman Vs. Batman, the two rivaling superheroes don't just kiss and make up? See how weird and uncomfortable that sounds?
Lesbians should not be oversexualized for the entertainment purposes of others. There is nothing different between these relationships and any other heterosexual relationship in Hollywood. In fact, women, in general, should not be continuously oversexualized. By continuing to do so, we let later generations think these actions are okay, that lesbians should feel uncomfortable to show affection in public, and teach younger women and girls that they are nothing but a sex object in the eyes of a man.
Protect the individuals in your life who identify as lesbian or just a female in general. They shouldn't feel embarrassed about who they are because of who they love or what they look like physically. So the next time you see a movie that portrays this kind of over-sexualization, think about how it would feel to be you in that position and ask yourself why you suddenly became uncomfortable.
