Let’s get one thing straight and two things queer: Chappell Roan’s newest single, “Good Luck, Babe!” is an all-out bop of a lesbian anthem about loving yourself and fighting compulsory heterosexuality (comp-het). So why is there TikTok drama about who gets to claim the song as their own?
In case you’ve somehow missed it, queer musical artist Chappell Roan released “Good Luck, Babe!” on April 5th, 2024. The single hit the Billboard Top 100 within the month. Roan’s is often referred to as a campy, queer mix of 80’s pop and 2000’s synth.
“Good Luck, Babe!” is about comp-het getting in the way of a relationship, where the object of the narrator’s affection refuses to admit that she has feelings for another woman — even if she will never truly be happy with a man. Many lesbian creators online have used the song to express their own difficulties in coming out and shared their appreciation for Roan. It’s empowering, to see so many queer community members get to feel seen in a newly mainstream song.
So what’s the conflict? There seems to be an argument over the line, “You’re nothing more than his wife.” A number of bisexual creators have used it to express their fear and dissatisfaction at the idea of marrying a man, even going so far as to call it a “bisexual anthem.” Their videos have comments accusing them of appropriation and being deep in the closet, saying that if you have hesitations about ending up with a man then you must be a lesbian.
To reiterate, “Good Luck, Babe!” seems to be designed specifically for lesbians and not as a bisexual rallying point. Yet there are legitimate reasons why bi women might relate to the song too.
Many of us feel like we’re being forced to “choose” and give up our queerness if and when we commit to a partner of the opposite sex. After all, there’s such a prevalent online culture surrounding bisexuality and not actually wanting to be with men — where does that leave those who like men? Are we fake queers? This dismissal of identity plays heavily into decisions that bisexual people make about their prospective partners and their relationship to the queer community as a whole.
And comp-het doesn’t just refer to being in a heterosexual-presenting relationship; it’s also about fearing the roles that one might end up falling into that a patriarchal society reinforces. It’s about the fear of going down the same path that generations of mothers before us may have gone down and inadvertently becoming just a prop in our own lives.
Is there a real enemy here? Yes — the patriarchy. Sapphics, no matter their specific romantic and sexual attraction, shouldn’t have to fit themselves into comp-het roles and should be able to love and express themselves however they please.
“Good Luck, Babe!” can be a lesbian anthem while also holding meaning for anyone who worries about having to conform to a predesignated role. And I hope that, like me, they’re absolutely pumped to blast whatever Roan puts out next .
