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But
Shimizu is probably best known for her widely publicized
affair with Jolie in the mid-1990s. In a new interview
this week with British tabloid The Sun, Shimizu
reveals that her relationship with Jolie has in fact been "an
ongoing thing for the past decade", and asserts that "There
has never been an ending to her and I. I think there never will
be.”
Shimizu’s
openness about her sexual orientation has not garnered her consistent
praise from the lesbian community. “I’m not politically correct
and women don’t like that,” she told Curve magazine in
1996. But there are also plenty of women who do.
Shimizu sports a number of prominent tattoos, including one
on her right shoulder and upper arm of a woman straddling a
wrench, with the words “Strap-On” emblazoned on the wrench instead
of the brand name “Snap-On” (a brand of tools). Shimizu has
admitted, “I’ve never really dated lesbians. All the women I’ve
gone out with are straight.”
After
the mid-90s, however, Shimizu faded from the celebrity limelight,
retreating to the Los Angeles area where she planned to open
her own motorcycle shop. It wasn’t until 2005 that she resurfaced,
joining British bisexual television personality Rebecca Loos
on the entertainment documentary Power Lesbians. And
in Cycle 5 of UPN’s America’s
Next Top Model, Shimizu made a guest appearance to share
her experiences about modeling with the contestants, including
openly lesbian Kim
Stolz.
The
next openly lesbian model to make headlines was Amanda
Moore, who has appeared on the cover of Bazaar, Vogue,
Allure, and been featured in the Pirelli calendar and ad
campaigns for DKNY and Armani. Discovered as a teenager at an
Orlando, Fla., casting call, one of Moore’s first photo shoots
involved her being dressed in masculine clothing.
She
made headlines in August 2003 when she reportedly punched a
man who was making advances toward her girlfriend at the time.
But
despite her brief stint in the spotlight, Moore has not been
much of a media magnet, possibly because she has largely spent
her professional career working rather than doing tabloid-ready
things like heroin or dating Hollywood actresses.
More
recently, Kate Moss crossed the lesbian radar when
rumors of a long-term relationship with British actress Sadie
Frost, Jude Law’s ex-wife, hit the tabloids at the same time
as news of Moss’ cocaine habit. Though drug use in the modeling
world is widely known to occur, apparently Moss’ habit had become
too public, and she was subsequently fired by several of her
sponsors, including Swedish clothing giant H&M, Burberry,
and Brazilian jeweler H. Stern.
Though
drug use may actually have been a legitimate cause for Moss’
censure, what is disturbing is that this development coincided
with rampant rumors about her sexuality, with the tabloids characterizing
her same-sex affairs as sleazy or drug-induced slip-ups.
Moss
has even issued an apology for her actions, stating, “I take
full responsibility for my actions. I also accept that there
are various personal issues that I need to address and have
started taking the difficult, yet necessary, steps to resolve
them. I want to apologize to all of the people I have let down
because of my behavior which has reflected badly on my family,
friends, co-workers, business associates and others.”
Despite
losing some endorsement deals, it appears that her apology may
have worked, as Moss continues to work, recently appearing in
French Vogue and signing a contract with British company
Virgin Mobile.
The
Moss brouhaha demonstrates that while the modeling
industry is still believed to be a hotbed of drug-induced sexual
experimentation, there are fewer repercussions for those who
engage in those types of activities. What is unfortunate is
that lesbian sexuality is still associated in the same breath
with drug use.
And
despite advancing openness about homosexuality in the industry,
it is unlikely that a model who does not conform to traditional
standards of feminine beauty will achieve as much success as
one who does.
Even
America’s Next Top Model, which is less of a modeling
competition than a reality soap opera, has demonstrated that
no matter how queer a model looks in real life, when she is
in front of the camera, she’d better know how to look straight.
Get
more info on: Gia
Carangi / Jenny
Shimizu / Amanda
Moore / Kate
Moss
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