“If we see in on TV then it must be okay.”

There still ought to be a squiggle little line under that word meaning that it’s misspelled but it now means that two men can enjoy a dinner together without buying furniture afterwards.

“Bromance.”  Apparently it was created by an editor to describe skaters relationships to each other. Creating a new word, as corny as it sounds, also has a societal impact because words have meaning and words can take power away from something and place it in a proper context.

How many men over the years have hesitated a supper invitation because of what it might look like to those around them or those they would tell?  It was simply too risky to be placed in a situation that society deemed degenerate; the least of wholesome and probably everybody’s uncle.

The Christian church’s long standing abomination is slowly eroding with societal insights.  (Blame the “secularists,” I suppose.)  Misunderstood and badly applied has been many teachings, sermons and easy dismissal of an always present group of people.  That group?  We still can hardly say the word so another was created to soften the blow, “gay.”  (Cue Fred Astaire?)  As shallow as the new word was, the more shallow were the continuing arguments against a group that just didn’t seem to disappear (or die).

The present or the rewinding conjures up pairings that can now be identified as true friendships between men whose sexuality is never considered or questioned.  If two men experience a strong bond then why does it mean something sexual except to an audience whose minds seems to be somewhere else?

The present includes television programs that I enjoy, “Suits,” “Graceland,” “Scrubs,” “Chicago Fire,” “White Collar,” “Strike Back,” “House” and the other doctor; all macho shows that feature strong bonds between, dare we say it, two men.  Locally it’s been Green Bay Packer’s Aaron Rodgers and Milwaukee Brewer’s Ryan Braun.  The bible has David and Jonathan, David and Uriah, Jesus and John.  Going out in groups of four or more was considered proper etiquette in the past for men (women somehow get away with two) but slowly and surely two men can enjoy a glass of wine without the whispering behind them.

I laugh to myself now.  Leave it to the straight guys to pave the way for homosexuals.  Once the straight guys finally got it then the homos can finally find respectability – leave behind a “ghetto” mentality and risky sexual behaviors, and find a growing sliver of societal acceptance.