If you have been on the internet in the past week, you have probably come across pictures of “Twilight” Star Kristen Stewart with Alicia Cargile. The two women are probably in a relationship, but the internet is referring to the two as “gal pals” incessantly. “Gal Pals” as a phrase invokes the image of two wholesome young ladies from the 1950s on their way to a dance to meet some men. It’s heterocentric and desexualizing. It’s reminiscent of the popular memes, “Some eCards” that circulate on Facebook all the time, depicting people from a gentler time but with satiric modern captions stuck over them. Only there is no irony to be found in “gal pals.”

Like a record stuck on repeat, like there is no thesaurus that can give these entertainment writers another term that they can use for a situation between two women who live together and go on nice vacations and snuggle and basically do everything together. Oh and Kristen has been wearing a ring on her left ring finger. But Cargile is still her “gal pal.” The exception to this is OK! Magazine, who has called Stewart a “lesbian.”

I know, there are going to be reactions to this article saying, “Who cares about Kristen Stewart?” What I’m trying to say is that this goes beyond Kristen Stewart’s sexuality. This is about the erasure of queer women from media when they don’t fit into the standard narrative.

There is a dichotomy at work here. Lesbianism isn’t completely absent from the entertainment landscape. Tabloids love to insinuate that certain kinds of women are dating. When singer Taylor Swift was photographed leaning into model Karlie Kloss, the internet exploded with “Is she a lesbian?” posts. Those posts seemed disingenuous. Swift and Kloss were at a crowded club, Swift was probably leaning in to yell something into Kloss’s ear and that was that. However, it was more titillating to pretend that those two white, feminine, thin, young women were going to have hot girl-on-girl sex. The entertainment industry is fine with promoting a lesbian fantasy, but not a lesbian relationship.

If a straight actress goes to lunch with a male costar, that’s all the internet needs to decide they are in a relationship. “Mad Men” stars Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss have been accused of being a secret couple behind his girlfriend’s back. “Hunger Games” stars Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Helmsworth have too, despite Lawrence’s very public relationship with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. You could substitute countless examples here. However, when Ireland Baldwin started dating Angel Haze, the media referred to them repeatedly as “gal pals” even when they were posting kissing selfies on Instagram. Finally, Haze got sick of being called “best friends” and clarified, “We fuck and friends don’t fuck” [via]

From my perspective, “Gal Pals” boils down to two issues. The media thinks that there is no money to be made from loving lesbian relationships that don’t invite the male gaze. However, this can be easily disproved. Ellen and Portia DeGeneres are loved pretty much universally by America. Divorce and pregnancy rumors have made the rounds in the tabloids because they sell. People care about these women even though they are lesbians. There is room for more than just one power lesbian couple.

The other issue is that most entertainment writers don’t know how to write about the nuances of queer female sexuality. You either have a “gal pal” or you are a lesbian. As Shane wisely said on “The L Word,” “sexuality is fluid.” Yes, Kristen Stewart might consider herself a lesbian now. But she might be bisexual, or pansexual or queer, or maybe she labels in a completely different way. Disney star Raven Symoné has been in a lesbian relationship for years, and eschews labels, but has said that she is attracted to both men and women. It is hard to write about female sexuality given the plethora of options and the fact that the subject might not label or might not fully know her orientation yet. But the media owes it to us to try and get it right. Or, to at least not “gal pal” queer women out of the conversation.

Natasia Langfelder is just a girl, writing about girls in New York City. Read more of her work at Hot Femme in the City.

The post Gal pals: The problem with media coverage of queer female celebs first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Since Ellen Page came out in February, it seems like lesbians and lesbian rumors are coming out of the woodwork. Here’s a rundown of the lesbian hopefuls springing up all over the interwebs.

KRISTEN STEWART

As Lesbian.com reported yesterday, lesbian rumors have swirled around the “Twilight” star since her split with Robert Pattinson in May 2013. The lucky lady is pal Alicia Cargile. Showbizspy cites the pair’s proclivity for dressing similarly as evidence of their sapphic swaying. It works for us.

Stewart starred as a tomboy trapped in a room with Jodie Foster in “Panic Room.” That would make even the most rabid heterosexuals turn. This is a rumor we hope is true.

IRELAND BALDWIN

The statuesque, 18-year-old model daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger is dating a woman, allegedly. Autostraddle chronicled the Twitter love fest between Baldwin and rapper Angel Haze, who got matching “we can be heroes” tattoos. The only thing that says lesbian more than matching clothes is matching ink. Let’s hope this one is true, too.

CARA DELEVINGNE

Remember when people like Michelle Rodriguez made us guess and wish and wonder for years and years and years about whether they were on our team or not? Not anymore. Not only does the hottest model on the planet openly date the aforementioned lesbian tease, Cara Delevingne, 21, says “she plays for more than one team.” From February to mid-April, Cara and Michelle were inseparable and constantly tweeting their affections, but it has been radio silence for a few weeks.

Hot off the rumor mill, TMZ is reporting that Cara is spreading the lesbian love as she was spotted leaving a London nightclub on April 30 holding hands with Sienna Miller. Girl, this lesbianism is catching.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
A few ladies we’ve longed to have on our team for years have acknowledge taking a dip in the lady pool recently.

CAMERON DIAZ

On “What Happens Live,” the “Charlie’s Angels” star said “Yes, I have been with a lady, yeah.” Unfortunately, she did not elaborate with details, like which lady and for how long, but it’s a start. Crossing fingers and toes that we can send her a toaster oven soon.

SARAH MACLACHLAN

No one can love dogs that much and not at least visit the lady end of the pool. She told the Huffington Post that “[She’s] made out with more than one woman, but it just sort of happened. And there may have been alcohol involved with one of them.” Even if she’s not going to join team lesbian full-time, we owe her a huge debt of gratitude for writing all the best lesbian break-up songs.

Get your tissues out, MacLachlan’s new album “Shine On” comes out May 6.

The post Lesbian rumors swirl around stars first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY LESBIAN.COM

Rumors of Kristen Stewart’s lesbianism aren’t new — speculation has circulated since the “Twilight” star split with Robert Pattinson in May 2013 — but the whispers have gotten louder after the Star reported that Stewart is allegedly in a relationship with close friend Alicia Cargile.

An Entertainmentwise report based on Star magazine’s claims, says the actress is “really happy” with Cargile.

Showbizspy suggests that the pair began dating after Cargile “comforted” Stewart after her split with Pattinson.

“Love is love to Kristen,” said a Showbizspy source. “She’s really happy with Alicia.”

The couple has been spotted together on several occasions according to reports and Stewart and Cargile have been seen “wearing the same clothes” when they appeared together in public.

The Showbizspy report indicates that Stewart may be following in her mother’s footsteps. Jules, a writer/director moved in with her girlfriend after splitting from her husband in 2010, according to the site’s source.

“All of Jules’ close friends are gay,” said the source, “and she’s made Kristen more comfort­able with exploring her own sexuality.”

Stewart is no stranger to rumors of sapphic leanings. She’s previously been romantically linked to Katy Perry’s assistant Tamra Natisin.

As of yet, neither Stewart nor her reps have provided any comment on the lesbian rumors.

The post Has ‘Twilight’ star come to the ‘dark side’? first appeared on Lesbian.com.