Celesbian

A celesbian (a portmanteau of celebrity and lesbian), in its original meaning, simply means a female celebrity who is known or alleged to be a lesbian. In modern-day mass media however, the term has come to mean a female celebrity who claims to be a lesbian, whether explicitly or implicitly, typically as a publicity stunt, even though she may or may not be homosexual in real life.

A similar term to a celesbian (in the latter sense) is a fauxmosexual (a portmanteau of faux and homosexual), in which case the celebrity concerned may be male or female.

Celesbianism as a Western media phenomenon came in vogue during 2008, with a number of female celebrities allegedly presenting themselves with a lesbian image.[1] Some LGBT activists have criticized this phenomenon, saying that fauxmosexuality trivializes real-life homosexuals, both in presenting homosexuality as an "outrageous" novelty, and in glossing over the serious issues faced by young people struggling to come to terms with their homosexuality.[2]

References

  1. ^ For example, see a list of celesbian-related articles on Perez Hilton's website: [1]
  2. ^ The dangers of fauxmosexuality Tim Duggan, The Sydney Morning Herald, October 10, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2008