Lesbians or twinks from a Gus Van Sant film? You make the call.

The Sun, a wildly popular British tabloid (which is no small feat when you consider that there are approximately 800,000 different widely read British tabloids, because sometimes you get bored with Dickens and Austen and need to read about footballers and prostitutes), published an interview with musicians Tegan and Sara today. You can read it here, if you must, but this is all you really need to know. Near the end of the interview, reporter Jacqui Swift, having covered all the obligatory questions about the challenges of collaborating with your twin and seeking success outside of Canada, asks this:

AS twins and lesbians, does it annoy you when people focus on this?

To which they offer a very reasonable, measured response:

Tegan: I think the media and our labels in the past have tried to turn it into something gimmicky.

But I think we’ve grown out of that. I think we’ve also proved we’re genuine songwriters who are talented and have the support of many great people and a legion of lovely devoted fans and so I think that period of our life is over.

We’re happy and proud to be out and known as queer artists and we are also happy that people pay much more attention to the music these days.

Sara: I think there have been times when journalists have treated it in a gimmicky way.

Perhaps from a lack of awareness or education about homophobia or sexism.

I know most people don’t intend to be cruel or ignorant. I’ve become more patient but it is upsetting when it feels like the music is lost behind a headline.

Here’s the money shot: the article’s headline is a big fat “Lesbian Twins Coming to UK.” You can’t convince me that was just someone behind the scenes having a laugh. The people who work at The Sun aren’t smart or funny enough for that. There’s also that pesky tradition they have of being homophobic morons to take into account.