WATCH: Clea DuVall Directs Tegan and Sara’s New Super Queer “BWU” Video

On Friday, Tegan and Sara released the latest installment in their quest to make a video for every song off their excellent new album Love You To Death. “BWU” is a head-bouncer of a synthy pop song, which Sara wrote about not wanting to get gay-married.

The video, directed by Clea DuVall, starts with Sara proposing to her presumed-girlfriend in a park in L.A. Sara eagerly opens a red ring box, and her partner’s face immediately falls. Rejected, Sara wanders downtown L.A., proposing to everyone she encounters. After being repeatedly rebuffed, Sara encounters a person in an excellent bow tie and gets down on one knee in front of her. The person is confused and weirded out — until she sees what’s in the box.

“BWU” is a gorgeous nod to all the queers — and anyone really — whose relationship challenges were not simplified or solved by marriage equality. “Save your first and last dance for me/I don’t need a white wedding,” the twins sing, affirming commitment without the fanfare or implications of a wedding. Sara discussed this further in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

I was happy when the Supreme Court ruling legalized same sex marriage in the USA, but I was also relieved that I could finally ”come out“ as a person who actively dislikes the institution. Specifically the assumption that by not participating in the ritual you are a deviant or unlikely to share the same common values as someone who does.

“BWU” affirms that relationships can be strong and meaningful outside the context of marriage and hetero/homo-normativity. It also shows the part that comes after figuring out marriage isn’t what you want: finding partners who are on the same page.

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Maddie

Autostraddle staff writer. Copy editor. Fledgling English muffin maker. Temporary turtle parent. Zine creator. Swings enthusiast. Political human who cares a lot about healthcare and queer anti-carceral feminisms. I asked my friend to help me write this bio and they said, "Good-natured. Friend. Earth tones." Another friend said, "Flannel babe. Vacuum lover. Kind." So. Find me on Twitter or my website.

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15 Comments

  4. I already had the suspicion, but this song convinced me that I’m actually Sara’s twin, not Tegan. So thankful she wrote this theme song for me.

  5. Ooooh this is perfect. I’m glad they did more of a narrative for the video for this song (my favorite of this album). Especially considering how…abstract their videos have been, historically.

    Also Sara is so adorable omg.

  8. I think this is my favourite song on their new album. Also, this is the queerest song they’ve ever written.

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