I’m having a drunken musing about some of my GBF
problems, including some of the people in my life who try to treat me as a
mascot, or a toy or feel a desperate need to get close to me to be their
bestest friend so they can be one of the cool crowd.
It’s annoying. And many of them are annoying for the usual reasons of fetishism/privilege/dehumanisation and general annoyance that comes with straight privilege and causes me headaches.
But there are a couple who surprised me because I though,
to a degree, they had more sense (and, to be fair, they generally behave better
albeit still annoyingly). I, for a long time, put it down to the fact that it’s
amazing how good people can be at hiding their prejudices and it can shock you
at the worst times making no-one truly safe (case in point, friend I complained
about lately in long complainy post I mean to go into more detail on when I’m
not drunk and typing drunkenly on a tablet while laid on a drunk Beloved who
is, indeed, drunk).
But there is another element (not to
friend-I-complained-about-and-is-no-longer-friend, but to others) to these
generally clueful people. It comes to not understanding what being “out” means
to everyone.
Because, of course, being gay is a big big big, super big massive secret, right? So if she’s in on the BIG SECRET then that must mean she’s one of my closest of close friends, right? Because it’s not like I would ever tell a near stranger that I’m gay!
But I view being gay as basic biographical information for me – it’s not a secret, just about anyone who knows me knows I’m gay. A casual acquaintance will know I’m gay.
So she thinks she’s my bestest friend ever because I trusted her with my biggest secret. I think she’s a person I met once or twice who has a poor sense of boundaries.
It’s not an excuse for the overwhelming majority
(displayed by general behaviour) but for this odd blip of behaviour from an otherwise
apparently decent person it may be the key
Of course, there follows the “I’m sorry, we’re not
actually friends, sorry you got the wrong impression” conversation which is
AWKWARD. Hallmark should really make a card “You think we’re friends! I don’t
really like you – sorry!”
Or maybe a cake? Chocolate with “I don’t like you very
much! Take a slice and go away!” written on the top?
(It could go with my “You’re my husband’s friend, not
mine. I have better taste.” Victoria Sandwich).