Bien

It’s already been talked about on in both English and Spanish, but there is something that hasn’t yet been said about Julieta Venegas’ new video “Bien o Mal.” And that is that the video is oh-so-lesbo-erotic. Come on. Women in an (almost) all female world passionately devour flowers, lift their skirts for each other, and hover at Julieta’s side as if under a spell. All this, mind you, preceded by a reference to “chicas extrañas.” Can strange girls marry? Have kids? Be happy? How many straight parents have asked these same questions about their own niñas extrañas?



By the way, many a YouTube commentator has expressed disgust over the fart-butterflies. I'd suggest that their disgust is really a thinly masked discomfort at seeing a representation of female sensuality which exists outside of the male gaze. And in a music video no less! Once again Julieta reminds us that you don’t have to act like a loba to cause a buzz in the pop world. Love and patriarchy are separable after all.