8/1/11

What Amy Winehouse Means to Us - Her Forgotten Bisexuality


by Geraldine Joosten

Last Saturday I started on my first proper column for Lesbiatopia. Still, I only fully finished it on Wednesday night.

What happened? Something sad, unfortunately.

Right in the middle of writing it I took a short break and opened my Twitter. The first Tweet I saw made me sit in stunned silence for several seconds: Amy Winehouse was thought to be dead!! Snapping myself out of my shock I quickly sprang into action.

 Was this true?

I turned the TV on to Sky News, Tweeted the journalists I work with, etc. Soon it sadly and tragically became a reality: Sweet Amy with her lovely smile, her beautiful, magical voice, my Jewish sister, would never sing again.

While I was upset, while her fans were upset, while her family wasn’t even informed yet, the media set the wheels in motion: coverage, questions, speculation, opinions. The usual carousel that follows a celebrities death was played out. Facts were stated before her tiny body had even reached hospital.
In the days that followed the story continued and more and more people gave their opinion. At the same time her family spoke and shared their feelings. Strangely it feels as if we barely know anything, even after being told a lot.

Now Amy has been cremated and has hopefully found peace at last, let’s looks at what this special woman has meant to us. The lesbian community.

First there is the obvious: her music. Who hasn’t laughed, cried or made out to one of her songs? Who hasn’t sang “Valerie” at lesbian karaoke night?

But there is more. Even the press, at this moment, forgets to mention it.

Amy was openly bisexual and wasn’t afraid to show it. Even in the early days of fame she wasn’t quiet about it. She talked about finding women sexy. How she had sexy girls tattooed on her body because “I like pin-up girls. I'm more of a boy than a girl.”

And how after a sambuca she just lost her inhibitions and gave in to her desire for girls. She wrote her song “Addicted” about loving to be with a certain girl and sharing her weed with her, but not wanting the girls boyfriend around or sharing her weed with him.

She publicly shared a hot night in with a model with Amy suggesting that they play games using a pair of glow dice. On one dice were actions such as 'kiss', 'hug' etc and on the other dice were parts of the body like 'neck' and 'belly'.

Then that Blake person filed for divorce on grounds of Amy cheating on him with women and told friends she had been with lots of girls in the past. Amy never denied this.

During her much publicised stay on St Lucia she revealed even more of her bisexual side. Hooking up with girls, and even breaking up a lesbian couple by hooking up with one of them. When the other girl caught the pair in bed Amy casually asked her to join them for a threesome. Then there were pictures published of Amy with yet another girl sweetly making out in a hammock. She confirmed the affair and for a while looked happier then ever.


As the media didn’t seem to understand Amy asked a friend to confirm that she was bisexual. Amy told the press: “So what? I like girls as well. I have had relationships with other women but that doesn't mean I don't still love Blake. There is something about being with a woman that is very satisfying. I don't care what people think about me being bi - I do what feels good.”

Her friend continued: “There is nothing restrained about Amy's sexuality. She doesn't hold back and says what she feels. She often talks about other women. Her favourite is Cheryl Cole, who she really fancies. Most women can appreciate another woman's beauty but Amy definitely takes that to the next level.”

It’s a shame the straight as well as the gay media have largely ignored or forgotten about Amy’s coming out. Amy could have been a beacon for the GLTB society. She, like Lady Gaga now wouldn’t have been quiet about everything going on. Maybe if we had welcomed and not ignored her she would have been more cherished and protected then she was.

Amy could have been so good for us, if she had had her chance. She wasn’t brave. She did what she thought was right. She went with what she felt and didn’t care what people thought. This is what we can all learn from her. Be who you are, follow your heart and be true to your feelings. Actually. To have done this in this day and age means that: Yes, Amy WAS brave.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cant believe still!!! we've lost this super sexy girl
Who had so much beauty under all that makeup
And big hair I so wouldn't have kicked her out of bed x
Love you Amy winehouse and I always will xxxx

blewpaint said...

Exactly! I Totally would have enjoyed myself with her!