Viv, I like your "gay above the waist" thing. I actually feel that I'm more like "straight above the waist". There's a certain attraction for me to women, but I'm extremely picky about women and find myself more like a Kinsey 5. Part of the reason is that I think breasts are neato.
Anyway, there are those who think that it's "cool" to be gay or bi. Women will often kiss other women in front of their men in seeking approval. However, I would say that the girl who cuddles with her "friend" who happens to be a girl is doing so because she loves her. How deep that love is I cannot be sure. For her at least, it's not a trend. Rather it has become more and more prevalent as acceptance has increased, especially for girls.