Funquita Jackson
Aug 8, 2017 · 1 min read

Okay, I already commented once, but I need to again. I get the sense that people here presume it’s easier if you’re gay to say “I love you” to other men. It is not.

If I say that to straight male friends, I run the risk of them panicking. If I say it to gay male friends, it may accidentally lead them to think something romantic or sexual is possible. I would really love it if we were able to dissociate love from sex and romance.

The Classical Greeks acknowledged all sorts of love, and it would be great to have a word for this in English. It’s frustrating to have to offer explanations: “I don’t mean this in a love love way, but I love you.” Or, “I love you, but I’m not in love with you.” Or, “I’m not saying I want to sleep with you, but I love you.”

English is very adept at absorbing words from other languages. I wish we had take this from the Greeks: I agape you. I eros you. I romance you. I friendship you. I marry you. I trust you. I mean, how great would it be if we didn’t have to explain nuance. Don’t Eskimos have like 100 words for snow?

Why don’t we have 100 words for love?

    Funquita Jackson

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