In Sanitaria Springs, and in many other gay themed stories, someone who hasn't really had same-sex urges discovers they have that capacity. Then comes this neat posting of a reddit article where a 19 year old has an experience and turns to the community for guidance. In some ways it's a fasinating look at the discussions Ryan and I have had concerning how characters reach places and how they feel at each stage.
Really worthwhile
read.
The fluidity discussion reminds me of the following passage from
Must Love Books at
www.dabeagle.com/stories/dabeagle/sanitaria_springs/MLB.html where Derek Pellegrini and Robin are heading for Lucien's to start the homework group:
...I grabbed my bag and we headed back to the door. With a wave to my dad we were on the landing and putting our shoes on.
“Are those socks really worth it?” I asked, pointing to his feet.
Robin shrugged. “They're socks. To be honest, I just wear the clothes my mom brings home for me. Unless Lucien tells me he likes me in certain clothes or colors, I usually don't pay a lot of attention.”
“That's completely against stereotype, you know. You may have to turn in your gay card,” I laughed and we trotted down the stairs.
“Well,” Robin said as he hit the sidewalk,
“I don't spend much time thinking about my orientation – I'm kind of fluid, I guess. I just love a boy and I don't really question what that makes me other than being Lucien's boyfriend.” He unlocked the car, a little VW hatchback, and I tossed my bag in the back seat before joining him.
“So, you don't find other guys attractive?” I asked.
“I do,” he said demurely. “But I also find girls attractive. The difference is how Lucien makes me feel, which is something no one else can do.”
“How...ugh, I'm sorry,” I laughed nervously. “You guys are the first gay couple I've met and I'm bursting with questions.”
“That's okay,” he said with a crooked smile. “I think we're pretty open. But, honestly, our older brothers could probably answer questions better since they do identify as gay – Lucien too, for that matter.”
“Actually, I'm more interested in you guys. You're relationship seems kind of perfect.”
“It is, kind of,” Robin laughed. He stopped for a light and put his blinker on. “I mean, we fight sometimes but not for long and never over anything serious. When we got together – officially got together – we didn't want any secrets, even if they weren't nice or happy things.....”
It also reminds me of the relationship of Logan and Seth and Grayson in the "Logan and Seth" subset of Sanitaria Springs. Logan identifies mostly as straight, but is attracted first to Seth and then Maggie then Grayson; Seth is bisexual and is attracted to Logan, then maybe a little to Kristen then Grayson, and Grayson identifies as gay, and is attracted to Logan then Seth.
A person's sexuality can change. I know more than one person who married a person of the opposite sex, was happily married for years or nearly a lifetime, then over the years became more attracted to the same sex as well. In many cases the attraction to the same sex was already there, but not deliberately acknowledged.
Thanks for bringing up this discussion, Dave.
