The kiss between pop stars Madonna and Britney Spears happened on live television, at the Video Music Awards in 2003. The controversy was discussed through many forms of media. The issues surrounding it dealt with the representation of sexuality in the media and the ways in which society reacts to it. Celebrities made statements about the kiss in its aftermath, as well as in more recent years.
The article, I'm Straight, but I Kissed a Girl: The Trouble with American Media Representations of Female-Female Sexuality, by Lisa M. Diamond discusses how mass media represents same-sex relationships. In the article, the author states that she hopes this will bring on an appreciation and celebration of sexual freedom and diversity for women. She believes that the kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears at the 2003 VMA's can trivialize same-sex sexuality because it treats it as a trend. As mentioned in the article, same-sex couples are usually portrayed in media as very polished, high class people and are often not given depth or, in the case of lesbian couples, done for the sake of appealing to male fantasy. .
The author believes that the effort to challenge society's beliefs surrounding sexuality was compromised due to the fact that many viewers portrayed the kiss as a shock value technique. This on stage act was intended to come off as spontaneous act, but it is known that many aspects of award shows are scripted and rehearsed. The author states her standpoint on the subject by saying viewers should think critically about sexuality depicted in media, no matter what connotation those depictions are given. Diamond argues that the majority of those portrayals are done in a way that fits the societal mold of regulated and controlled female sexuality.
In terms of media criticism, Diamond analyzed the kiss in a social and economic way. She discussed how sexuality is portrayed in society, and briefly mentions that this particular incident was done as a way to make money.
