With all the advances in legal LGBT rights in the West, gays and lesbians are no longer confined to closets and underground scenes. Part of the problem with lesbian representation in mainstream media, however, is that it easily devolves into faux-lesbian posturing by straight/bicurious/supposedly bisexual actors and performers. This can be done to titillate straight male audiences, or done simply in an effort to be 'edgy' or 'different'.
Canadian indie pop duo and identical twins Tegan and Sara are real lesbians, though their past musical efforts haven't consistently addressed personal emotions and feelings from a specifically lesbian perspective (this can be done by simply omitting pronouns). With their latest single, "Boyfriend", however, this has changed.
The track was inspired by partly inspired by Sara’s current girlfriend, Stacy Reader. When they first became romantically involved, Stacy was also in a relationship with a man. The song's lyrics are thus about a lesbian's anxieties about being involved with a woman who isn't entirely sure about her sexuality:
'You treat me like your boyfriendAnd trust me like a... like a very best friendYou kiss me like your boyfriendYou call me up like you want your best friendYou turn me on like you want your boyfriendBut I don't want to be your secret anymore'
Source of lyrics:
The song has an unabashedly pop production, but there is a depth and complexity of meaning here that isn't usually found in mainstream pop songs. It also has a broad emphatic appeal - straight listeners will be able to relate to the idea of being involved to someone who isn't ready for commitment, or who isn't concrete about their identity and preferences. There's also a maturity in the way Tegan and Sara's persona deals with the issue, which can be helpful and constructive to young people (queer or otherwise) who are embarking on unconventional romantic arrangements. It may not be as powerful as k.d. lang's "Constant Craving", but it's a step in the right direction.
