A problem, indeed! It’s a wonder Angelina hasn’t killed herself.

The concept of an unexpressed thought eludes people everywhere, but nowhere is a considered moment of silence harder to come by than in Hollywood. While Washington gets this lesbian’s vote as the capital of spin and all things bullshit in the most malignant sense, L.A. is, and always has been, home of the benign blurt and the convenient chortle.

The beautiful folks who entertain us are well aware of their power and influence, and hardly ever reject an opportunity to tell us exactly what they think of just about everything–-even if what they think is preposterous, inappropriate or simply self-serving—because the backlash, if any, will likely be quelled with a coy, Alicia Silverstone-like, “My bad?” But is it time for that to change?

It’s more than a little interesting to me that while it’s ultra-cool to be thought of as lesbian or bi in Hollywood—to have enjoyed kissing a woman onscreen or off—it’s not so hip to be a lesbian anywhere else these days. In fact, if lawmakers continue to lead us down a very conservative and increasingly Christian path, it might one day be criminal.

So, do we really need Penelope Cruz telling MSNBC’s Jeanette Walls “Can I say Charlize Theron [is the best kisser], since I kissed her too in a movie?”

On the surface, Cruz’s comment is innocent enough. But now think about it. She’s not coming out—not even close. At best she’s telling the world, “Look at me, I’m cool. I kissed a gorgeous woman and I didn’t throw up.” At worst she’s enforcing the stereotype that a beautiful straight woman who behaves like a lesbian is nothing more than entertaining. While we can take a cue from the Oldsmobile commercial, look at her soft curves and big brown eyes and confidently say she’s not our father’s lesbian, we might have to admit that she’s dangerously close to being Howard Stern’s lesbian.

From Bar Harbor to Baja we’re all talking about morality and sexuality. As lesbians, we expect and even welcome our favorite celebrities to share their views on these heated subjects, because the minty-fresh wisdom that comes from the mouth of, say, Angelina Jolie helps clear the air of the foulness that has seeped from the hole in Tom Delay’s face.

Hollywood offers a sense of creativity and balance against all things close-minded and rigid, it always has. But because our human rights are now threatened, tangled up in issues like same-sex marriage and gay adoption, it might be the perfect time to keep tighter tabs on some loose-lipped stars to make sure they’re not abusing their power to our detriment.

But how do we sift the sincere, well-intentioned comments from the insincere, well-rehearsed, self-serving blurts? The well thought-out opinions from the ill-considered ones? Do we dare try? Lord knows how good lesbians are of making mountains out of molehills! Should we attempt to squash one stereotype and risk inflating another?

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