Hi, James, it’s so nice to read something new from you! I was traveling and have been taking a small writing break to avoid burnout (which I felt looming). Have you seen the documentary The Mask You Live In (it’s on Netflix)? Your piece reminded me of it. It’s essentially about how masculinity functions as a “mask” that boys and men hide their true selves behind and how masculinity, as it is currently defined, is damaging to both individual men and society as a whole.

I’ve seen Love, Simon and read the novel it’s based on. I’ll reserve my full thoughts from some upcoming essays I’m working on, but I’ll pose the following question: if being a gay teen is such a “ho hum” experience, why has it taken a major studio this long to produce a gay teen film? Being LGBTQ is a distinctive experience that deserves representation, as you say. And those representations can humanize, empower, spread awareness, and perhaps even save lives. More to come…