Vanessa Carlton is bisexual

I couldn't go another year without getting "A Thousand Miles" stuck in my head.

The melodic brain invasion came courtesy of singer Vanessa Carlton's recent declaration that she's bisexual. She revealed the news at a Nashville Pride event, MTV reports.

When I was a kid, the word "bisexual" was something that made people turn their heads and whisper. Now, somebody announces bisexuality and often gets nothing more than a shoulder shrug.

Does that suggest heightened acceptance of bisexuality? Maybe. But it also reflects a growing tendency to dismiss the announcement as merely a publicity scam or turn-on tactic.

Consider stereotypes of the girl in college who conveniently decides to "out" herself as bisexual while wearing a sheer T-shirt in a room of guys.

Then, there's actress Anna Paquin's recent announcement of bisexuality, a move many skeptics labeled nothing more than a promotion for the new season of "True Blood." (It was a little strange, seeing as Paquin is engaged.)

Many online commenters have already suggested Carlton's news is just an effort to stay in fame's spotlight. Read more discussion here.

Carlton's announcement has no bearing on my view of her as an entertainer. Honestly, I'm just mad I have that song in my head.

But I do think it's a little callous to label her move selfish.

I agree with Carlton's advocates: She's a public figure and her public announcement -- regardless of its motives -- could have given someone the confidence to make a declaration they've been avoiding.