Best Friends Forever

New York Times Just Now Discovering “Bromosexual” Friendships

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Gay men being friends with straight men. Straight men being friends with gay men.

New York Times article by Jim Farber titled “The Rise Of The ‘Bromosexual’ Friendship” suggests this is an exciting new cultural phenomenon — as represented in the arts, and as demonstrated in life.

Related: More And More Straight Guys Are Giving Each Other “Bro-Jobs”

“That kind of easy relationship would not be credible to a broad audience 10 years ago,” says Irish author Jarlath Gregory, discussing a “brotherly friendship” at the center of his new novel The Organised Criminal. “One of the things my publisher liked about my book was that this friendship was something we haven’t seen much before.”

As Farber sees it, “Obviously, there have always been friendships between gay men and straight men, but only recently have they become more prominently, and comfortably, represented in TV shows, movies, books, and blogs.”

The article cites the first season of Scream Queens as a perfect example, since Nick Jonas played a gay frat boy who’s best friends with a straight fraternity brother. It also points out the friendship between Reza Farahan and Mike Shouhed in Bravo’s Shahs of Sunset. And Andy Cohen‘s buddyship with “ladies’ man” John Mayer.

Related: Straight Guys Are Giving “Bro-Jobs” And Hooking Up On The DL Using New App

“Friendships with straight men can be very healing,” says Michael LaSala, author of “Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Gay or Lesbian Child.”

For that reason, gay men have traditionally not felt comfortable in these relationships. When you experience a close friendship with a straight guy and that person is very accepting, it’s a balm for some old wounds.”

“I’m happy that I get to live around people who have a different life experience than I do, and I’m happy that they get to be around me,” says Ben Moss, a 25-year-old straight man. “A homogeneous experience in friendships isn’t good for anyone.”

You can check out the full article here.

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