Swing out, sisters...the Jessie J debate

Yesterday Jessie J’s sexuality was back in the headlines as an unauthorised biography claimed that the British singer was told not to come out as gay because it may “alienate fans”. The author, Chloe Govan, alleges Jessie was advised to say she is bisexual, because it would come across as more “trendy” and would further “increase her allure”.

While Jessie rubbished the book’s claims on Twitter, she has always been open about her sexual ambiguity and announced during a performance last year, at Soho’s G-A-Y of all places: “I’m not bisexual. I’m not gay. I’m not straight. If I love a girl, I love a girl. If I love a guy, I love a guy. I’m not going to label myself. I’m not going to put myself in a little box for people that don’t know who they are.”

I have to admit, I’m with Jessie. At the age of just 19 (Jessie is 24) I’ve been in love with both boys and girls. But being bisexual, or gay, or whatever, is not something I’d ever be ashamed of. And with a new wave of sexually — and sexuality — free female role models coming through our mainstream music, film, television, and even fashion worlds, nor should any young woman.

Megastar Lady Gaga has previously admitted that she likes the ladies, but said she believes it also intimidates the men she would like to date, too. Which I doubt was what actress and sex symbol Megan Fox had in mind when she discussed her own bisexuality with Esquire magazine — when she revealed she used to have a stripper girlfriend called Nikita. The drooling readers of men’s magazines aside, Rihanna too has admitted to fantasies about Fox, and although she denies previous lesbian experience herself, the Bajan singer told a British newspaper: “All humans are born with the ability to be attracted to both sexes. I mean, I could see myself in a relationship with a girl.”

Openly bisexual actress Anna Paquin, who is married to her True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer, also added her own two-pence worth to the topic last year: “The more people talk about it, the less of a deal it will be.”

In my own opinion, quite right, Anna. Whatever a celebrity’s own reason for coming out, the more we hear about different sexual persuaions and experimentation, the more openness we have on the topic, the more normal it becomes. And easier for a people to say, with pride, and in the wise words of Katy Perry: “I kissed a girl and I liked it.”

Other openly gay and bisexual female celebrities include Lindsay Lohan’s ex-girlfriend, singer-songwriter and DJ, Sam Ronson, also sister of Mark. However, she was annoyed by the media calling her “openly gay” and says, which I rather like, that she is an “equal opportunity player”.

Over in the fashion world, Danish supermodel Freja Beha Erichsen — who has worked for top designers including Chanel — flew the flag by confirming that she, too, is gay, after a stunning photograph of her sharing a kiss with a fellow model circulated online. But all these sexuality role models aside, I think the ultimate icon for young women searching for their own sexual identity today is Beth Ditto: a lesbian and proud of it, her out and loud attitude makes her an inspiration to any woman, gay or not.

Television’s Mary Portas, previously married to a man for 13 years, and her journalist partner Melanie Rickey have recently announced they are expecting a baby — proving it is never too late to come out. And the Queen of Shops is not the only girl on television who likes girls: BBC3 drama series Lip Service, which follows a group of lesbians in Glasgow, returns to our screens on Saturday evening for its second series.

Hailed as the British answer to gay American series The L Word, it is essential watching for any sexuality questioning/experimenting women, if only to have something to talk about in gay bars.