I’m hearing a lot of chatter about this story being about sex and not romance and, as a history and English teacher, I need to throw my hat into the ring.
It’s wonderfully optimistic and simultaneously heterocentric to say that queer relationships will follow the same courtship steps as straight ones. I know it’s been a while, but Western society queerness has been programmed to hide for centuries. The Lavender Scare, which saw the documentation of queer people on a list of ‘threats’ shared between the RCMP in Canada and the FBI in the US, meant that, even up until the 80’s and 90’s queer individuals felt real, legal pressure to hide their identities and seek out furtive and quick hook ups to meet their needs.
In only the last 15 years have we seen larger scale repealing of workplace and legal restraints that have allowed queer people to come out in a safer way at work, to marry their partners, to have the freedom to adopt children, and to live what heterosexual communities might describe as a ‘typical’ relationship model.
Hiding or refusing intimate same-sex relationships and leaning on hook ups is exactly what we have seen queer folk in unsafe situations do. And why would Shane or Ilya feel the NHL is a safe space to be open in that way? Arguably, the NHL has the most conservative fan base and the most conservative culture. To date, it is the ONLY major league sport without an openly out player. If you follow NHL players lives off the ice it is profusely heteronormative, from rampant city to city hook ups with female fans, marriage at an early age, and lots of offspring in teeny tiny skates. While there is a push to be more inclusive, the push back against Pride Nights, rainbow tape, and dedicated gear came from NHL players.
All that to say that there ISN’T a ton of romance at the beginning of Heated Rivalry because that’s what Shane and Ilya are trying to avoid. They don’t WANT a relationship, but it is also a relief for both of them to have a reliable hook up to meet their physical needs without the fear of being outed. Because the stakes are the same for both of them, they trundle along for several years only seeing each other for that specific need. It is only THROUGH those rare hook ups that feelings start to become difficult to deny, that they realize they want, need, and DESERVE more than just a physical relationship. But the stakes are high for both their sexuality, and the external perception of their rivalry.
The sex is the vehicle of their relationship. Those new to the series, give it time. Also, those who are not queer and/or have never felt like they had to choose between their hearts and their lives, be grateful. That is still the reality for many in the queer community. Further, if you think that’s really fucked up, use your privilege and your platform to make sure no one ever has to feel like they have to choose. Because, damn, imagine if Ilya and Shane could have just fallen in love without fear from the start. 💜💜💜💜
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