We all know that couple: the couple people roll their eyes at, the ones that show “too much” PDA, the ones we block on social media because their excessive tweeting, Instagram-ing, and snapchatting has gotten to a whole new level of “nauseating” and “annoying.” They’re the couple that are “too obsessed with each other,” and “just need to stop already.” Well, SURPRISE, my boyfriend and I are actually one of “those couples”—and I am far from ashamed of it. In fact, I absolutely refuse to be embarrassed about being openly in love with my boyfriend.
When people make fun of us for being too affectionate, too “mushy,” too “love-struck,” all I can do is roll my eyes at this strange proposition that being in love is something I should hide. Why is kissing my boyfriend in public “nauseating” to you? When I tell my boyfriend that I love him, and don’t shy away from telling him exactly how I feel, why is that too “obsessive?” Are we, as a collective society, so afraid of love that we are willing to penalize those who put their love on full-display? Has our culture of “playing hard to get,” permeated into our notions of what love should look like, so much so that affection and love are no longer beautiful, but need to be regulated?
While I understand that many individuals get caught up in the trap of social media, constantly competing to present the most glamorous, perfect life (and perfect relationships), does not mean those are my personal intentions. I can say, with absolutely sincerity, that when I post, tweet, snapchat, etc. about my significant other, it is simply to show him that I love him—no ulterior motives needed. I am not trying to prove that my relationship is better than yours, nor am I trying to prove that I am more in love than you are. To be blunt, when I post a “cheesy” kissing picture, it has nothing to do with you and your relationships, this is all about OUR relationship and OUR love.
If I, personally, feel comfortable being affectionate in public with my partner, then quite honestly, you should be too. It is not as if our hand-holding and kissing is intended to offend you, nor discomfort you, we are simply in love (and aren’t afraid to show it). Sure, it might be “obnoxious,” it might be “unnecessary,” but guess what, I’m only doing it because I’m happy—and I hope none of you would discourage my pursuit of happiness.
Despite popular belief, your relationships with minimal PDA, impress me no more than the relationships that are “disgustingly clingy.” After all, I am in no place to decide what you do with your relationships, just as you have no jurisdiction to decide what I do with mine. So let me, and all the other “clingy” couples, kiss our boyfriends in the Starbucks line and caption our photos with cheesy love song lyrics—because I have a sneaky suspicion our “obnoxious” I love you’s, actually have very little effect on your day. So whether you say it out of jealousy, or an unnecessary anger, just stop. We’re not “clingy,” we’re just in love.