• Mood: enthralled

Recommended essays about platonic love

I found a really fascinating article today, talking about so-called "romantic friendship." I don't completely agree with the author, but she argues for the existence of intense platonic friendships from history (and psychology, sort of) in a much more in-depthy way than I've had the pleasure to read before. Deeply thought-provoking. (THANK YOU, wneleh, for linking this article in your comments!)

Romantic Friendship: Not Just a Code Word for Gay by Heather Elizabeth Peterson

And while perusing the Fan History wiki's "gen" entry, I discovered another excellent article on a similar topic, this one from a distinctively fannish viewpoint:

RECLAIMING PHILIA: or the Mis-Sexualizing of Relationships, by minisinoo

NOTE: I'm not saying that if you're a genficcer like me you'll necessarily agree with everything in these articles. But they're very interesting, and I was pleased to find people who articulate at least the basics of my own thoughts on our culture's obsession with sexual love so clearly.