Katy Perry kissed a teenager without his consent

Katy Perry, we need to talk about consent.

The singer is a judge on American Idol and her appearance on the show’s premiere episode has been the topic of intense scrutiny – especially after she kissed a teenage boy without his consent.

During the audition, 19-year-old Benjamin Glaze auditioned for a chance to be in the competition, although he didn’t end up getting through.

Before he sang, Lionel Richie had asked him if he’d ever “kissed a girl and liked it”, a reference to Katy Perry’s hit song 'I Kissed a Girl'.

Glaze responded that he had not:

No. I’ve never been in a relationship. I can’t kiss the girl without being in a relationship.

Katy Perry then asked him to come to the podium. “Come here. Come here right now."

After he uncomfortably kissed her on the cheek at her demand, she told him to kiss her on the cheek again and when he went in, she moved her cheek and kissed him on the lips.

The other judges immediately hi-fived Katy Perry and scores of initial headlines about the exchange were humorous. One said: "Katy Perry gives American Idol contestant his first kiss."

Others had a funny twist on her song with: "Katy Perry kissed a boy and he didn’t like it."

While other outlets say Katy Perry “surprised” him with a kiss.

Glaze agreed that the kiss had been nonconsensual and he wouldn't have kissed her on the lips if she had asked – which she didn't.

Talking to the New York Times about the audition, he said:

I was a tad bit uncomfortable. I wanted to save it for my first relationship.

Would I have done it if she said, ‘Would you kiss me?’ No, I would have said no. I know a lot of guys would be like, ‘Heck yeah!’ But for me, I was raised in a conservative family and I was uncomfortable immediately.

I wanted my first kiss to be special.

But if the roles were reversed and a man, in a position of power, during work hours, gave an unsolicited kiss to a potential employee, would the reaction be as light-hearted?

People don't think so.

Like commentator Ashley Rae:

And the national exec for the US-based Law Needs Feminism Because group:

And feminist writer Jaclyn Friedman:

While the #MeToo movement has highlighted by and large sexual harassment that men in Hollywood have committed against women, there is layer of sexual harassment against men that is also part of the movement.

Actor Terry Crews came out in the midst of sexual assault allegations against Hollywood executives to admit that he too was sexually assaulted by a producer in Hollywood, who groped his genitals at an industry function.

Katy Perry's representative has been contacted by indy100 for comment.

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