Veronika

“To say that straight men are heterosexual is only to say that they engage in sex (fucking exclusively with the other sex, i.e., women). All or almost all of that which pertains to love, most straight men reserve exclusively for other men. The people whom they admire, respect, adore, revere, honor, whom they imitate, idolize, and form profound attachments to, whom they are willing to teach and from whom they are willing to learn, and whose respect, admiration, recognition, honor, reverence and love they desire… those are, overwhelmingly, other men. In their relations with women, what passes for respect is kindness, generosity or paternalism; what passes for honor is removal to the pedestal. From women they want devotion, service and sex.

Heterosexual male culture is homoerotic; it is man-loving.”
― Marilyn Frye, The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory

“We must not run from our unhappiness. We must listen to it. It has much to tell us.”
― Jennifer Donnelly, Poisoned

“Like a Wife

The week before my wedding, my friend's dad
said: just don't get fat, like other wives do.

And so I brined him in a deep salt bath, added
thyme and celery. Devoured him whole, in one
big bite, so he could see just how hungry a
woman can be.”
― Kate Baer, What Kind of Woman: Poems

“Give me a daughter with your stubborn heart, or your even temper. Give our children your dark-bright eyes, or your enchanted smile. So that even when we are gone, the world will find within them all of the reasons why I loved you”
― Nizar Qabbani