Ihad been steering clear of dating and focusing on prioritising myself (and one-night stands), but then I met Paulo at Feel It in London. His intoxicating smile, emotional intelligence and vulnerability borrowed my heart for a whirlwind 48 hours akin to Andrew Haigh’s movie Weekend (without the chems). But here’s the twist: Paulo lives in Chicago. I was his holiday romance. So, what next? Are we destined for a Red, White & Royal Blue love affair? Or just to be international friends with benefits?
Choosing whether to engage in something you can’t have is a familiar crossroads for the LGBTQ+ community, whether it’s a long-distance relationship, processing feelings for a heterosexual man or woman, or simply confronting the intricacies of our diverse love stories.
As a gay man, navigating love is hard. It often intertwines with a deeper narrative — the desire to overcome shame, survive and be authentically different in a world that often expects conformity. This internal struggle, on top of a potential long-distance love, could feel like a form of self-harm.