Lesbian Stereotypes 101: U-Hauling
Stereotypes play a huge role in
our society. We stereotype people based on the color of their skin, the slant
in their eyes; the shape of their nose and because of whatever region they were
born in. Humans are always willing to place things into categories, but I won't
say they all rest on shaky ground.
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| Do you see what they think of us?! |
Women are emotional creatures.
Let's be real, we are all emotional creatures, but women just seem to express
those emotions better than others. We will gladly extend ourselves for the
person we love in hopes that they will reciprocate. Women are also particularly
good at nesting. We will make a home out of dirt, grass and sticks if only to
keep those we love close to us and safe. According to popular belief, aka
stereotyping, lesbians are exceptionally skilled at the move in process. In any
and every movie you see with a lesbian couple, it's perceived that the week
after they met they said, "I love you" and rented a U-Haul truck. Two
women together feeling all those strong emotions have got to be close to each
other at all times, at least that's what many people seem to think.
Aside from my love of hot sauce,
watermelon and fried chicken there are very little stereotypes that I fit into.
When it comes to fitting into the lesbian U-Haul circle, I am a square. I'd
prefer to live in my own place before jumping to setup shop at someone else's
home. I'd prefer to live apart from my lover before we look into getting a
place together. These bright and shiny notions sound great, until I take a look
at my bank account that would laugh at the thought of paying New York City rent
on my own.
These questions float around my
mind all the time, as I see so many of my friends moving in together. Shit,
several of the people I went to high school with are married with two kids! If
I were making six figures, there would be no discussion, but the fact is, I'm not.
U-hauling is one of the oldest
stereotypes lesbians face. Saying it doesn't have a basis would be a lie, and
I'm not afraid to admit that. I am afraid to participate in it though. Living
with someone is the time when you're able to get to know them best. For me,
moving in with someone is a huge step. Moving in with someone means that we’re
sharing responsibilities and building something together. All of this can get
really messy should it end badly. Not sure if it was during my parents
separation, but somewhere I learned that keeping my things to myself will just
make breaking up that much easier.
