glee was such a wild ride like. jeff goldblum was rachel’s dad? they had a double lesbian/gay wedding? darren criss’ version of teenage dream changed my life? adam lambert and demi lovato were there for a while? none of these things sound at all connected but they were all the same show and i loved it so much, it really was That Messy Bitch and i miss it
The popularity of the slow burn fic trope in the LGBTQ community is a direct reflection of the persisting need to side-step every direct confrontation of your romantic/sexual feelings for the sake of your own survival. This coping tactic of avoidance of clear communication, although hindering, becomes familiar and homely when it is continuously associated with stories we ourselves relate to and reflects our own experience of never feeling safe enough to fearlessly barge into relationships. In this essay I will