I wanna talk about gay romance.
Okay, not exactly gay romance but how homosexuality and non-binary relationships are viewed and portrayed.
This weekend I went and saw “Love, Simon” at the new theater, Bulldog Cinema, in town (which I 200 percent recommend by the way—cheap tickets and super comfy seats).
Anyway, needless to say I really enjoyed it but as we were walking out, I said something to my boyfriend along the lines of “I can’t wait for a ‘gay romance’ to just be a ’romance.’”
“Love, Simon” was a great start; it’s made just over 39 million dollars so far, and it’s ranked at number 15 in highest grossing teen romances of all time—below “Pretty in Pink” but above “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
It gives an honest portrayal of what it’s like to figure out who you are in a world driven by social networking. What this movie really proved though is that the lack of reception of LGBT romance isn’t a result of people not wanting to see it but a general lack of marketing and advertising.
While I have always considered myself an ally of the LGBT community, I also don’t believe in pushing my political agenda on people. Luckily, love isn’t a political agenda.
The persecution of homosexuality is largely based in religion and not something that I think should be influencing the media, or what young people are exposed to in a secular country.
You heard me.
It’s so troubling to me how much people oppose the idea of a lesbian Disney princess, or complain about how there is a gay couple on a TV show that’s on before their kid’s bedtime.
As a journalist, I’ve got news for you: your kids are going to meet gay people. Hell, your kids might be gay people. Trying to hide that lifestyle from them, or teach them it’s something wrong or shameful is going to do them so much more harm than good in the long run.
If your kid sees two men holding hands on the street, or two women sharing a kiss on a park bench and asks you about it, be honest. They are two people in love. I guarantee you, nine times out of 10 they’re going to say “okay!” and go back to whatever they were doing.
Because kids understand love, and they don’t hate unless they’re taught to.
So I say, make “gay romance” just “romance.”
And #GiveElsaAGirlfriend.
Click here for last week’s Chat with the Chief focused on censorship.