Hot take but I donât think âHeteroâ couples in fiction are boring actually I just think theyâre boring because we see the same m/f couples every single time.
Allow me to elaborate:
Usually every m/f couple we see in media consists of two conventionally attractive, young, skinny, allosexual, cishet, gender conforming, often white people. And you can always see the relationship coming a mile away.
Imagine how much better it would feel if you saw more of THESE kinds of m/f couples in media:
Fat characters involved in the relationship, and not made into a joke
Disabled characters involved in the relationship, and not made into a joke
A man happily in love with a gnc or masculine woman
A woman happily in love with a gnc or feminine man
Bisexual or pansexual men and women in love with the opposite sex (and bi for bi, Pan for Pan couples)
A man happily in love with a trans woman
A woman happily in love with a trans man
Trans for trans m/f couples
Asexual and gray-sexual people in romantic relationships and being respected in those relationships
Two middle aged people entering a new relationship, with the same attention and slow burn and tension as any young pairing (because middle aged and elder people have love lives too, and can fall in love again even if theyâve been married before!! See Kane/Abby in the 100.)
More POC x POC relationships!
A man who stays at home and takes care of kids x a working woman who isnât criticized for not being home enough
Supportive parents to queer kids
Punk/alternative/goth m/f couples and parents (bc I just think thatâs cool)
Couples who get together and then realize theyâre better as friends, and have a healthy breakup while staying super close (and not creating secret drama)
Neurodivergent people involved in the relationship (adhd/autistic men and women infodumping to their supportive partner... happy stimming after a cute interaction with their crush.. itâs just so good) and not made into a joke or infantilized!
BUFF STRONK WOMAN x LIDDOL MAN VERY IN LOVE WITH HIS WIFE
People who arenât conventionally attractive in a loving relationship, and there isnât any drama or weird side plot about âlearning to love someone for whatâs on the inside!!â
and so many more I could think of!!!
Just something to think on. (And remember, not all m/f couples are âheteroâ. If youâre still saying âew heteros!!â every time you see a m/f couple - or a couple you PERCEIVE as m/f - now is the time to stop.)
TL;DR: couples percieved as heterosexual aren't automatically privileged/supporting white, cis, abled etc. heterosexuality. If your automatic reaction to any male/female (or percieved male/female) couple is disgust you need to reconsider, as minority heterosexuals can be just as invisible as same sex relationships.
