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Bollywood actresses just say no to kissing womenA few weeks ago, we told you about Charlize Theron’s selfless act of a kissing a woman for $140,000 donated to charity. She’s a regular Mother Teresa. Apparently, though, not everyone was as enthused. In a totally disappointing interview, many of Bollywood’s top actresses — Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Shilpa Shetty — wrinkled their noses at the girl-on-girl kiss for charity. They would prefer auctioning off dinner dates and perform in runway shows instead. Bipasha Basu Now, why would they be so opposed? Perhaps they don’t want to smudge their lipstick. Or maybe they’re afraid of the H1N1 virus. Actually, Kareena and Katrina attribute their reservations to different “social values” between Western culture and Indian culture. Katrina Kaif Kareena says: “What Charlize did was really cool but our social values [in India] are different and it would become more of a national sensation than a charitable cause if I kissed a woman on her lips.” But for a good cause, she would gladly kiss a woman on the cheek. Kareena Kapoor Shilpa, scarred for life after gross Richard Gere sneak-attacked her with his lips at a conference to raise HIV awareness, gets a get-out-of-jail-free card from me. Shilpa Shetty All of the above said they would not kiss a woman. That’s not too surprising, though, as even straight Bollywood actors rarely kiss in films. There was one good sport of the bunch. Lesser-known actress Mugdha Godse is less shy of Sapphic smooching and says, “I’d kiss a woman or anybody as it’d be for a great cause.” As for girly make outs in a Bollywood film, Godse says as long as it “goes with the flow of the story” and if it’s a “great script” she would deliver. Mugdha Godse A few actresses were notably absent from the Sapphic survey: Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Rani Mukerji. Their absence gives me hope — I would take out loans to feed an entire country to kiss one of them.
While I’m sad that my Indian sisters are so shy overseas (not even a little peck for a good cause?), I’m not surprised. Indeed, cultural and social values are far more conservative, and the actresses’ scandalized reactions to the interview questions are indicative enough of the popular culture. They have a reputation to protect. Obviously, you would kiss a woman for charity or if you were bored, but what are your reactions to the Bollywood beauties’ statements? Submitted by on November 6, 2009 - 5:00pm. |
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well...
All of them are beautiful... I don't like the first one... Basu nor Godse neither... but the other ones are so beautiful... Mid Eastern women have the most beautiful and amazing eyes.... Bah their answers... they're homophobic. I totally understand the fact that maybe their culture is not keen on that. That still does not justify their semi-homophobic answer... I don't know.. that's just the way I see it. If they were "against" their Indian culture, they would leave. If they stay it is because they agree with it; it is not like they are prohibited to leave the country.
By the way, conservative?... right right... I can totally see Katrina Kaif's areolas!... so I don't know what the fuck is she talking about being so coy and crap... plain homophobic.
"It is easier to disintegrate an atom than human stupidity"-A. Einstein
Just because these women
Wait a minute...
Quote: "If they were "against" their Indian culture, they would leave. If they stay it is because they agree with it; it is not like they are prohibited to leave the country."
For one thing, it's a lot harder for people in third-world countries to just "leave", as many other countries require visas, etc. that North Americans tend not to need when they travel. And besides that, do you really think it's realistic to expect someone to pack up their whole life and leave their extended family, friends, community, etc. behind because they don't agree with some parts of their culture? What should she do, move to a country where she probably doesn't speak the language or know the culture or traditions and start a whole new life? Do you agree with everything that goes on in your culture/society? I doubt it. And yet you don't just "leave", do you?
I do understand why you're upset, but I felt that this particular comment was not very appropriate.
actually
If I were you I wouldn't be so self righteous... and actually, YES I left from where used to live in simply because I didn't agree with the norms... *eye rolls*... I think their comments where bigoted and homophobic as if kissing another woman was something horrid; and yet they "agree" to the way women are seen in the mid-east, as inferior beings with no gender equality. Cause sadly, that's how women are treated and seen in most of the mid-east. That's really sad to this date and age; as it is also sad that some people think that "kissing" a person of their same sex is some type of aberration. And it is true, maybe some of them wouldn't even kiss a man, but if you bothered to read the interview some of the answers were way homophobic. That's the thing with this site, people think that have the given right to go at other people's comments and attack it...
"It is easier to disintegrate an atom than human stupidity"-A. Einstein
Look at a map
ha double standard
I don't see how any of their
You're totally oversimplifying things...
I agree with the comment above entirely - if any of them kissed a woman, it wouldn't be about the charitable casue - the only thing that would make headlines is the fact that they kissed a woman. Look at Shilpa Shetty - when Richard Gere kissed her, it mattered to no journalist that HE kissed HER by surprise - it was the fact that she kissed someone in public in what is a socially conservative society. Social norms are different in different places, and you should take into account the fact that homosexuality is only just being legalized in India. You're looking at it from a very closed-minded, high-handed, snobby,'we're Western so we must be civilized' and an entirely western-centric point of view.
Besides, I'm Indian, born and bred. And I'm very, very, indelibly proud of that fact. Despite the fact that my sexuality isn't approved of there (and FYI - the law that prohibits homsoexuality is a remnant of a British law), it is my country and I love it, more than any place on earth. Also, how dare you make such ridiculous generalizations about my country? Check your facts before you run around saying women in India are inferior beings with no gender equality. My grandmothers and mother and aunts and cousins and sisters are incredibly strong, able women and they would have you back up and think twice, because you clearly have no idea what you're talking about - you seem to be making assumptions based on dribble fed to you by some outdated media.
Also, you complain about the idea that 'people think they have the right to go at other people's comments and attack it [sic]' - you're doing the same thing. Anyway freedom of speech - if you don't want people arguing with your point of view, don't put your point of view out in the public domain.
...with all due respect...
Har.
I'm laughing at the irony of your comment and the Einstein qoute.
Har.
Indian Culture>>
Given that my best friend in the world is Indian (her family is Punjabi), I can vouche for the conservave angle.
BUT
How 'conservative' is Katrina Kaif, really? I can see her areolas through her blouse!
Ha!
ROFLMFAO!!!
Nuff Props!
I can see why these women would not kiss another woman for cultural reasons, personal and blah blah blah. India is so so different and places a lot on family, morals and customs. As for Mugda Godse, thank you so much for your comments!! She is so fine!! God damn! Sorry..saw the hot face, then scrolled down to the body and almost lost it...Sorry Heather hehe...
Anyway, nuff props to Charlize for the kiss for charity, I saw a vid of the kiss and it was long, and juicy.
SdQ Out!
I have a fetish with Indian
I have a fetish with Indian women so the pictures please me. I shall just ignore the writing.
Shilpa Shetty annoys me beyond belief
I agree, they were
I agree, they were homophobic comments. I know that was how they were brought up, but that doesn't make it any less homophobic.
http://lesbiandaily.blogspot.com/ <---Check it out. :]
i absolutely adore
Mugdha Godse this makes me adore her more. esepcially since she will do it for a great cause or even in a movie. i believe i read somewhere that Priyanka Chopra would do it in a film, if she felt the script was a really good one. i might be mistaken on that one though.
Uhhh....
uhhmm
quote:"attribute their reservations to different “social values” between Western culture and Indian culture"
thats showing your whole (probably operated and gross) nipple trough the shirt and not soing something selfish to help other people cause involves a girl2girl kissing
uhmmm no i get indian culture and values
"...yo canto, tranquilamente canto..corriendo el viento cantoo, la vida entera canto, la primavera canto, rezando tambien canto alguien me escucharaaa..."(8)
meh
hmmm
Charlize did it for the sake of those poor children in Ethiopia, and besides she didnt do the auction concerning that only lesbians could bid on her. And not all of the audience were gays or lesbians. It just so hapenned that the bid winner is a lesbian so why a negative reaction??
Duh... (eyesrolls)
yeLyah!
'' Whatever people considers to be normal, it never is --- Ashley Davies (SON) ''
uh....
heheh
i wonder whose that oval faced lady. XD
yeLyah!
'' Whatever people considers to be normal, it never is --- Ashley Davies (SON) ''
.
It's definately their culture that stops them from kissing women for charity, just the fact that Mughda Godse said that she would kiss a woman for charity makes her sooo hot !, But I mean how conservative can Katrina Kaif be for the fact that I can see her nipple through her blouse !
-------
For me, it feels like im .. Coming home. -Bette Porter
HAHAHA!
Katrina Kaif has more reserved "social values" than Western culture?!
HAHAHA!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that, or is it not, her aereola in that picture with her in the purple shirt?
But her moral compass goes haywire at the thought of kissing another woman?!
Hahahahahaha! That one's a knee-slapper!
~Lolita
"But to see her was to love her, love but her, and love forever."
Um.. yeah too bad, but why
Um.. yeah too bad, but why was this brought up over there? I thought this Charity kiss thing was just a one time event. Will there be more and um.. who is next?? :D
-I speak in random thoughts
WE!
We can volunteer? Waddaya think? :P
yeLyah!
'' Whatever people considers to be normal, it never is --- Ashley Davies (SON) ''
People should keep in mind
People should keep in mind half these women haven't even kissed men on-screen. Kissing women would be so much more controversial.
Priyanka did say in Koffee With Karen that she would play a lesbian, although she doesn't mention kissing. (5.40)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3LXYDjb3mc&feature=related
Aishwarya Rai
omg, if Aishwarya Rai said yes, I would be freaking out here big time!
Give them the chance
Will Smith had once said (reg: 6 degrees of separation), he regretted not having kissed his male co-star because it would have been the professional thing to do (or something to that effect).
This July India finally overturned a 148-year-old British colonial law, which had criminalized same-sex relationships as an "unnatural offence" (from BBC). While public displays of affection were frowned upon, the younger generation, thanks to hundreds of channels 24/7, exposure and access to everything out there, think very differently. After all, doesnt pop culture depict the current trends / aspirations / prejudices of a society anyway?
From 15 years ago when Indian movies didnt even have heterosexual couples kissing onscreen, they've come a long way. It will change but its going to take time.
I havent seen a Bollywood movie in ages because after a point there was just too much singing and group dancing going on.... for me. But give them the chance to be the professionals we'd like to see. ;)
So, the point being, NO I dont believe they're homophobic - just a bit aware of the repercussions in their society and therefore hesitant.
"Visibility Matters"
Well
nope
They do have a choice. I think theyre just worried of what their fellow indians might gonna say about them, so they choose the 'safe side'
yeLyah!
'' Whatever people considers to be normal, it never is --- Ashley Davies (SON) ''
~Live~Laugh~Love Mugdha
~Live~Laugh~Love
Mugdha Godse is so freakin beautiful!!!! Ok now that I have that out of my system, I respect their opinions because it is very hard when your family and cultural customs are held to such a high standard, to just go against them is not an option in many countries.
I'd rather hear them just
I'd rather hear them just say kissing a girl is gross than them copping out and blaming their culture. I have friends from the subcontinent who use the same sorry excuse for having distaste for people with darker complexions. If you know better, just admit your (and your society's) predjudices and work to get past them.
I know they have careers to think of, but there are better ways to respond to that question.
did they say nobody should kiss women?
I don't personally want to kiss a guy. That doesn't make me heterophobic. I have plenty of straight friends who don't want to kiss girls, but the fact that they don't care that I want to kiss girls is what makes them not homophobic.
I guess I am a bit straight-laced, but the whole idea of anyone kissing someone for charity is a bit icky anyway. I don't judge Charlize for doing it, but I also wouldn't judge her if she hadn't.
Also, I think that it was rather inappropriate and simply inflammatory to ask them the question in the first place.
Agreed.
I never have and never want to kiss a guy. Guys = ew. So I don't think a straight woman not wanting to kiss another woman is homophobic. Meh.
Mugdha Godse IS HOTTTTT!!!I am very uncomfortable with
I am very uncomfortable with the idea of a women selling herself as a sexual object, regardless of charitable intent. When a kiss is more physically intimate than a peck on the cheek, the underlying motivation is titillation, as several drooling contributions to this thread confirm. Charlize Theron performed a sexually titillating act in exchange for a sum of money. The Bollywood stars would not choose to do so, and I entirely understand why.
Mugdha Godse
Lord Have Mercy!
I can't seem to say anything more intelligent right now.
Reading is Fundamental
All of could think of was
Chutney Popcorn and I Can't Think Straight more so the latter, because it was more Middle Eastern based.
And, of course, how revealing some ladies are in this article. *coughKatrinaKaifcough
so what's new?
I wouldn't have expected any of them to answer "yes". As for Mugdha Godse, who is she anyways? I may not have been following Bollywood too closely for the past year, but I really haven't heard her name before. (That's not to say that she's not totally cute, but yeah...) So it seems more like an I'd-do-anything-for-publicity-stunt with her, sorry.
But do I still get to like Kareena for at least calling Charlize "cool"? I think she's right in judging India's probable reaction. Sad, but that's what they all have to work with.
I love Bollywood and there's
I love Bollywood and there's actually something refreshing I guess about watching a movie where the leads aren't pawing at and mauling each other.
Guess there are times where I'm just not in the mood for sex, sex, sex. We're SO oversaturated with it here in North America -- it's EVERYwhere -- so sometimes Bollywood provides a nice little 'break'.
That said, I'm not surprised at all that these ladies wouldn't kiss other women for charity or otherwise -- as it's been stated several times above my post, most times the women don't kiss men in the movies. Defo a cultural thing.
It's funny, though, that here in North America, we like to think we're so sexually liberated but mean while a glaring paradox exists . It's sad, but also pretty silly how uptight we as a society are -- we have sex in adverts, shows, pro sports events/etc, and shows are constantly trying to puss the envelope, but sensorship is also all over the place -- usually, IMHO, in the wrong places and for the wrong reasons. I do think it's worse in the US but even discomfort/ignorance/homophobia exists up here in the Great White North.
While I wish that homophobia didn't exist, and that all cultures could be more accepting of us, it just isn't reality. Guess wherever you have people, you have potential for greatness as well as intolerance. But more greatness than the latter ;)
(And nice blouse, btw, Katrina Kaif, LOL...)
~off to bed~
Disapointing but not homophobic
the reactions of the majority of the women is disapointing, especially as they had an opportunity to influence members of the general public. but that said i wouldn't label it as homophobic.
I'm straight and although I'm also (sort of) sexually attracted to women and thus wouldn't have a problem kissing a girl (especially if it was christina hendricks) , many of my other straight friends have said that they don't have a problem with other girls kissing one another, but they would never, because it would feel 'wrong' for them.
I dont think of that reactions is homophobic. they aren't scared or judgemental of lesbians or gays, it just isn't right for them.
Its not Homophobic
I dont think their comments are homophobic at all. For them, for their culture it would be a big huge deal. I also believe that if asked to kiss a man for charity they wouldn't. I think dates would be a lot more profitable. Just because here in American we have to sensationalize stuff doesn't mean people of other countries do.
Even though these women are beautiful, just because they are doesn't mean they have to kiss a woman to prove they aren't homophobic. I'm sure there are a lot of actresses out there who haven't kissed a woman publicly but still support homosexuals.
To sit there and say, if you don't agree with a part of what your culture tells you, pack up and leave is a bit over the top. I don't agree with a lot of the crap that goes on in this country (USA) but I sure as hell ain't gonna leave it. Also, theres a lot of stuff in my culture that I sure as hell don't agree with but I'm not going to abandon my roots so I can go kiss a woman and make money for a charity..... I wouldn't even kiss a man for charity but that's just the way I was raised.
YAY!
Finally a comment I agree with completely! :)
hey
being an indian i can understand why these gorgeous women said no for kissing a women for a charitable cause, but why to kiss someone for this cause.......
but
""they won't even do it for
no they wouldnt and its due to the hold their social and cultural values have on them. Its the same thing with nigerian actresses. The homophobia and strict cultural values is so strong, they wouldn't dare to kiss a girl for whatever reason, charity or not. Its still taboo for women and men in idia to be gay, though there are small organisations in the country that is combating the heterosexisit ways.
So thstas one reason these wome will refuse to kiss a woman- public or private. Another is becasue they hardly even kiss men in films, so kissing women seems out of the question. Also, its their personal choice if they don't want to, they are not homophobic for that, but i wont be surprised if they did have a few anti-gay thoughts on homosexuality in the first place.
Easy to say but harder to do especially if you're coming from a country with strict social values. So I don't think thats fair to sya at all.
is it just me or does Mugdha
I was just thinking the
I thought my eyes were
I thought my eyes were deceiving me for a second. They do bear an uncanny resemblance.
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http://thequeerafrican.blogspot.com/