Dating Problems Only the LGBTQ Community Has to Deal With
Love is not all rainbows and sunshine. It is also hardships and problems and perseverance. It is learning to be two people against a problem, not two people against one another due to a problem. All relationships are work, but there are unique issues that straight couples never need to deal with. This might not be true for everyone, but some common problems faced by people in the LGBTQ community are:
#1 Trouble. Fewer options
Anyone who says there is a lot of fish in the sea is definitely straight because statistics prove otherwise for the LGBTQ community. In a 2016 survey, 93.4% of people in the UK identified as heterosexual. A higher number of straight or closeted people leave little choices for the LGBTQ community when it comes to dating. One of the best dating place for gays and lesbians is online dating sites.
#2 Trouble. Discrimination within the community
The representation of LGBTQ in mainstream media has created a hierarchy of desirability within the community. Casual racism manifests itself into comments like :”i don’t date Asians or gay black men are too intense for me”. Men and women are rejected for being too feminine or not feminine enough. For a community that has struggled for so long to get the rights it deserves, some people in the community can be so intolerant that it is confounding.
#3 Trouble. Bi erasure
Bi people have to struggle for validation even within the community as their sexuality is often considered as being confused. Even upon receiving validation, bi people still suffer through unfair rejection. Straight and gay people alike tend to have an aversion to dating bisexuals. This can be chalked up to the misconception that bi people are more likely to cheat on their partners.
#4 Trouble. Transphobia
Trans people deal with numerous issues when dating. Although a lot of platforms have become a lot more inclusive, shame culture continues to exist and forces most trans people to hide their truth from potential partners, and then find a suitable time to share it. If not rejection, then it is fetishization they have to deal with. Both these extremes are obstacles trans people have to overcome before establishing strong relationships with an honest emotional connection.
#5 Trouble. The ghost of the closet
Remember being scared of the monster in your closet as a kid? People in the LGBTQ community often have to learn to fear the closet itself. Some people never come out of the closet completely. People often hide their sexuality from certain friends and family members for years due to fear or discomfort. Many people in the LGBTQ dating world have to deal with the persisting closet. One either needs to hide one’s partner from people in one’s life or learn to stay hidden from people in one’s partner’s life.
#6 Trouble. Are they friendly or flirty?
As a member of the LGBTQ, your favorite game is playing detective as you try to deduce someone’s sexuality. You are plagued by questions like, are they friendly, or are they interested in a relationship? What did that hug mean? Before one can figure out if a crush is interested, one needs to find out if said crush likes one’s gender at all.
#7 Trouble. The wide spectrum of homosexuality
There are various types of homosexuality. People possess the liberty to pick the label that suits them best. The word queer is an umbrella term. Everyone who considers themself a misfit can find a place under it. These labels include lesbians, gays, bisexuals, pansexuals, allosexuals, asexuals, etc.