This thread makes me want to cry…the only things I know about "love" are all in an academic/clinical sense. Basically, I can only imagine what relationships could be like based on what I read here and based on what I observe in real life.

The truth is, I've never been in a "relationship". I sort of "dated" in the loosest definition of the word in high school, but that was more like a couple of good friends goofing around with kissing.

I haven't even been kissed in nearly a decade. I'll end up married to my career (which at the moment doesn't even want me) because no person will ever stoop that low. And apparently I can offer my love all day with no takers. And I'm not one to give up easily or think that things will be "perfect".

Perfection to me is to be with someone who doesn't hit me, make me feel stupid, ignore my feelings, disrespect my values, shame or humiliate me into anything physical/sexual. Perfection would be someone (the gender ultimately doesn't matter to me, though for some reason I seem to be stuck on guys right now, go figure) who can accept my past, present, and future and who won't make fun of the way I look. Perfection is having someone that I can tell the absolute truth to without humiliation or judgment (that might be asking too much). Perfection would be someone who would take the time to initiate conversation, dates, etc. sometimes so I don't have to do it ALL of the time. Perfection would be that if we're in the same room, they would realize that I exist. And I would do all the same for them…

But that's too much to ask of a guy—at least a straight cisgendered guy. I should really just stick to transmen and women…I don't know why I'm always interested in what I can't have. But anyway, this isn't about me, so I'll shut up now.