by Bridget N. Watts

Created on: July 27, 2008   Last Updated: March 14, 2009

Over the past few decades, public opinion about homosexuality has changed dramatically. In the 1950's and 1960's there used to be a huge stigma about being homosexual. It was frowned upon, ridiculed, and criminalized to such an extend that being publicly out was not something one would do easily. We have come a long way since then. These days you can almost say that gay relationships are seen as a normal or accepted part of society.

In the media a lot of attention is always placed on the possible negative aspects of being gay and living a homosexual life. Hardly ever do you read something that focuses on how homosexuality is a positive thing or about the potential benefits of gay relationships. Regardless of how you might personally feel about homosexuality, you have to admit it might be interesting to find out whether or not one can learn something about how two people of the same gender make a relationship work.

Let me start of by saying that overall homosexual relationships are very similar to heterosexual relationships. In both relationships people experience the same joys and pleasures, and both relationships have the same problems and struggles. Homosexuals love, cherish, desire, want and need in a way that is not any different from that of heterosexuals. Love is love, no matter what form it takes. However, there are a few aspects of gay relationships that do differ from straight ones, some of which might be very beneficial for a relationship.

For example, gay relationships are not burdened by traditional roles and expectations about how one ought to behave in a romantic relationship. Most people grow up being told that their aim in life should be to get married and have kids. In addition, we are bombarded by stereotypical ways in which men and women are supposed to behave. Men should be strong and macho and provide for their families and protect them, whereas women are supposed to be pretty and nurturing, and try to make their husbands happy. Obviously I am exaggerating a little, but you cannot deny that is the general pattern of expectations that we all grew up with.

When you have such a clear example of how your relationship should be, it is very easy to just copy the prototype and not wonder about how you would really want it to be. Or you might feel the burden of wanting to have a less traditional relationship. When you are in a same-sex relationship, none of these things apply.

Most homosexuals did not grow up with examples of what a gay relationship

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