Microstory 364: Basic Romantic Involvement

Click here for a list of every step.
Sexual Propagation

Not everyone who is alone is also lonely. Everyone requires different things out of life, and your drive towards human connection is not automatically universal. Hermits, as they are called, still depend on other people, just in indirect ways. Even if they live out in the wild, they weren’t always like that. But those are rare cases anyway. Even throughout the rest of the population, there are different types of relationships. There are as many kinds of people as there are people. Some are male, some female, some are somewhere in between, and some identify as genderless. There are even people out there who identify as asexual. As with anything, this is a gradient, but the basic idea is that they don’t experience the same kind of pleasure or satisfaction from sexual encounters. Some of these people are sociopaths, like the titular character from the series Dexter, but that’s not the only reason to reject societal traditions of sexual partnership. Once again, I believe I need to remind you that these “steps” I’ve laid out for you not only do not necessarily arrive in order, but also do not apply to everyone. Like asexuality, some people don’t enjoy or appreciate romantic relationships. They may remain alone, or they may lead sexually active single lives. Some people may even prefer the level of anonymity or detachment one might find in an association with a professional sex worker. Sidenote: I’ve not mentioned this in my nonfiction; prostitution should not be illegal. All of your reasonable objections to the sex industry don’t have to apply to it. You’re against violence, drug abuse, and kidnapping. So is everyone who doesn’t participate in those things. Anyway, the primary takeaway from this entry, and any other related essay, is how important it is to train yourself to avoid being judgmental. Just because someone doesn’t live the same way you do, doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Interracial marriages, okay. Open relationships, okay. Polyamory, okay. If you’re ever unsure whether a relationship is moral or not, just recall The Three C’s: consent, consent, consent. One, two, or more people are allowed to do what they please, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.

The Right to Not Be Raped