BROMANCE & GAY ROMANCE: the Mixup, the Myth, and the Actuality

Culled from cartoon junkie

THE MIXUP AND MYTH

This century is marked by a wide range of stereotypes and labels about groups and individuals that are, often, totally untrue, but are also despicable. We have turned what is usually right to left, turned an authentic character into hypocrisy, and people’s standard practices into disgusting rituals. Used to be seen and embraced as mainstream American attitudes and cultures among teenagers and young adults, a whole lot of these purely “traditional” practices in America are now seen as taboo. This hardly seems fair.


It is fast becoming a standard belief among numerous people that bromance- a close, folksy relationship that’s shared among lads and men are actually gay romance that is done under the guise of brotherhood. This could not be further from the truth! Interestingly indeed, same idealized notions surround females who are into deep, emotional relationship. 
Close boys and men aren’t necessarily homosexuals. Neither is a close relationship among college females inevitably lesbian. These are extraordinary misconceptions that have very dire psychological and social implications on people's well-being- the straight and the gay- the latter in particular, who would now see their sexual orientation as distasteful unacceptable. 

Bromance isn't gay. But gay, itself, sexual orientation isn't a condemnable practice. This is the United States of America- the land of freedom and opportunities. We have believed that we are all Americans. The purpose of this essay is to provide detailed clarifications regarding these misconceptions and provide explanations of what bromance is and what, in actual fact, constitute homosexuality. A discussion will also be made regarding the social implications of this embarrassing mix up.

WHAT BROMANCE ACTUALLY IS 

Seen as a "brotherhood," a bromance is an intimate, emotionally powerful, nonsexual union between two men. Marked by a very high level of affection and closeness between boys two or men, bromance is an exceptionally tight loving nonsexual male bonding relationship. Often, bromance supersedes ordinary friendship between boys and men.  

Steeped in emotion and real meaning, including an unusual level of intimacy, bromance is the value of friendship that's shared between male best friends, between buddies, and between boys and men who have similar “enemies,” struggles and shared history. Bromance relationship, however, often exists between two men. There are also cases of three or more men who are into a bromance.

BROMANCE IS NOT GAY

Bromance is a straight relationship. Bromance is standard among many people, and cultural practices including among athletes, politicians, movie actors, and even college students and biological brothers. There’s nothing significantly unusual that’s been found among these people.

PRESIDENT OBAMA & VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN IN A BROMANCE

During his presidency, Barack Obama and Vice-president Joe Biden used to be very, very close buddies that time, in 2017 reported them to be in a bromance. Time had made the report after the President had awarded the vice president with a presidential medal of freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Shedding tears during the ceremony at the White House, Barack Obama had called Joe Biden “brother” and “the best Vice President America’s ever had.”

If we label a president gay for his intimate, emotional relationship with his deputy, what do we call a relationship between Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King? Are they lesbians? NO! they are just exceptionally best friends. Bromance on films and television are also commonplace; so is bromance among athletes.

BROMANCE AND THE LGBT COMMUNITY

Labelling boys and men in bromance is an insult to not only straight boys and men who are into bromance, but as well as to the LGBT community who would worry about their gender and sexual orientation.  

The issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation remain contentious in America. America cannot afford more contentious debates. It is important to bring everyone, regardless of station or status.

Labelling bromance as gay romance is potentially divisive. The issue of discrimination and marginalization of the community of LGBT remains one of the hottest topics facing America. Gay and lesbians are oppressed for who they love. With no support network for a lot of them, it becomes especially a more harrowing experience for them when the society condemns and vilifies their sexual orientation. 
Attitudes like these do not reflect our core values of freedoms, liberty, including the fundamental decency and openness of the American people. 

Bromance isn’t gay romance. Bromance is a platonic, non-sexual male relationship. A gay relationship is entirely independent of bromance and must not be mixed with latter. Continually doing so is potentially dangerous to our values as Americans, as well as to our national security.