In the late 2000s, growing up gay in central Scotland felt painful and disconnected from the cheerful gay stereotypes presented in mainstream culture. Early representations were often comedic, such as Graham Norton and Alan Carr, which underscored a longing for deeper, more somber depictions of queer identity. While later discovering profound connections through the works of Edmund White and James Baldwin in university, the author reflects on the limited cultural output of their teenage years, highlighting songs that embody tragic love between men, resonating strongly with their own experiences during that formative time.
The representation I was looking for—solemn and beautiful—came later in university from writers like Edmund White and James Baldwin; in my teens, I felt alone.
These songs portray love between men with a tragedy and grandeur typically only afforded to heterosexual romance, fulfilling my desire for representation.
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