CATCHING UP ON LOVE: PART 2
In Part 2 Michael Blume continues to question the standards of traditional romantic partnerships. He touches on the political implication of the past 8 years as well as the future of what’s to come. Although he appreciates legalization of gay marriage, he challenges the institution of marriage as a social construct based on traditional romantic partnership. Many have serious doubts of the future, but what I found most profound is how positive and hopeful Michael is. He was homophobic himself growing up, but learned to open his mind. Phobias are fears, and what’s learned can be un-learned,. Michael believes that if he can change, anyone can change.
I have a partner now who is a woman who is one of my best friends who knows where I am all the time and I know where she is and we’re partners. But she can’t be my plus one because we’re not having sex. I can’t bring her to something because we’re not fucking.
His story now enters his high school and early college years where he experiences an openly gay culture for this first time. Despite this, he still has trouble embracing the word “gay” and the self-loathing he had developed as a result of feeling rejected by society’s definition of normative masculinity. Sophomore year however, he finally begins the process to accept who he is, as he explicitly expresses in an article he wrote for Q Magazine at Yale simply titled GAY. Claiming that word ultimately became a starting point of him catching up on love.
I can be in a traditional romantic relationship and still step out of it and know that it is a (social) construct and know that it is a show but still be OK with the happiness it brings me.
CATCHING UP ON LOVE: PART 1 // CATCHING UP ON LOVE: PART 3
[+] MICHAEL BLUME
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