Girls can kiss now Essays

The personal essays in Gutowitz's first book examine pop culture through a lens of evolving lesbian identity and range in tone from self-deprecating snark to cotton-candy light to truly profound. The book follows two arcs, one being Gutowitz's personal evolution from fame seeker to lover of regular, daily life with her girlfriend, and the second being the characterization and visibility of lesbians in pop culture. The collection is both interesting and uneven. Claiming a difference in intention, one ultimately unconvincing essay attempts to separate the ethics of her own speculation on celebrity sexuality for profit from the cruel-toned blog of Perez Hilton. Yet, another, stunning piece is a letter to the author's younger self, reunderstanding a boyfriend's sexual behavior in a #MeToo context and allowing her to release the self-blame rooted in her undisclosed queerness. Readers who recall where they were during iconic moments like when Orange is the New Black debuted or when paparazzi pictures of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson arguing were published will relish reliving their importance with Gutowitz.

Journalist Gutowitz debuts with an incisive and funny collection of essays on coming of age as a queer woman in the early 2000s. In "One Day, You'll All Be Gay," she writes of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson's 2008 relationship--they were "ravenously exploited"--and how she was affected by the narrative of a queer female sexuality centered on drugs and mental illness: "I remember thinking: I'm a good student. I come from a great family... I'm not some weak-minded chump, able to be indoctrinated by lesbianism." In "Kill the Creator of Entourage in Your Head," she reflects on coming to terms with her sexuality while watching Orange Is the New Black; "The Ten Most Important Sapphic Paparazzi Photos in Modern History" lists "Cara Delevingne and Michelle Rodriguez vaping" and "Janelle Monáe and Lupita Nyong'o grinding at Met Gala afterparty" as key cultural moments; and the slightly more somber "The Beast" considers the superficiality of celebrities through their asinine tweets sent during the pandemic--Kim Kardashian, for example, showed off one of her 14 Friesian horses. Gutowitz blends candid reflections on the experience of being closeted with witty analysis on how the media affects one's perception of the world. Fans of the personal essay will be eager to see what Gutowitz does next. Agent: Katelyn Dougherty, Paradigm Talent Agency. (Mar.)

A White, gay woman uses her love of pop culture to reflect on her continuing journey toward accepting her whole self, including her sexuality. Gutowitz grew up in New Jersey in the "aughts," a time she describes as "the least romantic era of pop culture, or just culture, in modern history." Aside from the terrible fashion decisions and the lack of decent pop music, the author classifies the early 2000s as a time of rampant homophobia that was both created and reinforced by mainstream media. After imbibing this toxic media throughout high school, she went to college, where she found herself catering to the needs of men rather than discovering her sexuality--an experience she compares to the underlying sexist messaging of the TV show Entourage. Gutowitz finally realized her sexual orientation at the age of 23, when she fell in love with her best friend--a love that was, sadly, unrequited--and extricated herself from an abusive heterosexual relationship. The author concludes with several essays celebrating the love she shares with her current partner, Emma, whose presence has made her question the obsession with celebrity that she says governed her life before they met. At its best, the prose shines with humor, vulnerability, and poignancy. Particularly noteworthy is the chapter detailing Gutowitz's experience with sexual assault, which is written in the form of a letter to her past self, both formally inventive and searingly personal. Unfortunately, the author's tendency to consistently center Whiteness and to avoid intersectional analysis makes the book feel somewhat superficial and outdated. A witty essay collection about pop culture and queerness that privileges Whiteness to its disadvantage. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.