To my surprise, once I stopped centering my life around romance, I was happy on my own. I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day. When I was married, my then-husband and I spent the holiday at our favorite bed and breakfast, and it was always just a little bit magical. Now that I’m single, I still love […]
The bridge from romance to long-term relationship is figuring out how to stop revolving around one another and instead work together to build your mutual life. My partner Valerie and I don’t work very well together. If I ask her for help in putting together a piece of furniture, she assumes I need her to […]
Romance isn’t defined by what chocolate companies say it should mean; it’s defined by you and, if applicable, the person or persons you love. I have to admit something—something that, in the artsy, queer, liberal, countercultural social circles I inhabit, is practically anathema to say out loud. I love Valentine’s Day. Like, I love it. […]
Sometimes the messages we get about romance are good. Other times, the messages are harmful, like the idea that jealousy is a sign of caring, or that not respecting your partner’s boundaries is a way to show intimacy. Whether it’s through movies, TV shows, or magazine articles, we’re constantly being bombarded with advice about what’s romantic. […]
People assume asexual people don’t form intimate relationships. This is very wrong. In the last 10 years, there has been a growing awareness that some people don’t want or need sex to live happy and fulfilled lives. However, something that still confuses people is how asexual people navigate dating. So, to demystify this concept for people, […]
Dear Dana is a bi-weekly advice column for humans who engage in romantic relationships. Please send your dilemmas, issues, conundrums, assumptions, conflicts, anxieties, worriments, obstacles, complications, predicaments, queries, questions, and any other synonyms for “problems” to deardana@rolereboot.org. Dear Dana, I’ve been dating my girlfriend for three years and we live together. We both have full-time jobs […]
While it is central to how some people experience love, it leaves other people cold. Valentine’s Day is upon us. Stores are awash in pink and red hearts, naughty lingerie and expensive gifts. This year, I would like to use Valentine’s Day as a time to talk about the concept behind it: romance. On one […]
