Lyrics became less thematically subtle, instead favoring direct and prideful exclamations, as well as nuanced songs of heartbreak. The second decade of the new millennium saw a shift away from the tepid engagement with queer identity in pop. The 2010s in particular were a liminal era where pop dipped its toes into queerness, testing the waters when artists and society at large weren’t entirely sure if it felt 'wrong or right.' While the timing of the Supreme Court announcement was apt for Lesbian Jesus, Kiyoko is one of many queer pop artists to receive mainstream shine in recent years. Two days later, the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all 50 states. The reception was so encouraging that Kiyoko herself came out as bisexual. The accompanying music video for ' Girls Like Girls ,' released in June 2015, features two gal pals falling in love while a violent boyfriend looms in the background.
'Girls like girls like boys do/nothing new,' Hayley Kiyoko, affectionately known as 'Lesbian Jesus' by her fans, sings on her second EP, This Side of Paradise.
