Downton Abbey really missed a lot of opportunities. The Edwardian era was the last golden age of same-sex snuggling for both men and women!
I think the difficulty re: the Buddy Book (which would have to be called The Buddy Book, wouldn't it?) is that the arc of the history is so crushingly depressing. You go directly from "Yay buddies!" to "NO BUDDIES ALLOWED," do not pass go, do not collect $200. The switch from semi-acceptance to powerful cultural repugnance would be really, really hard.
Admittedly, this is sort of Russell's arc in Sleeping Beauty? He's going from the Civil War context where it's 100% normal and expected that you are going to sleep with your buddy! in each other's arms! and press loving kisses to each other's cheeks! to 1965. But it hits different when it's one character having this experience instead of the whole culture changing around the characters more or less overnight.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-05-19 07:49 pm (UTC)I think the difficulty re: the Buddy Book (which would have to be called The Buddy Book, wouldn't it?) is that the arc of the history is so crushingly depressing. You go directly from "Yay buddies!" to "NO BUDDIES ALLOWED," do not pass go, do not collect $200. The switch from semi-acceptance to powerful cultural repugnance would be really, really hard.
Admittedly, this is sort of Russell's arc in Sleeping Beauty? He's going from the Civil War context where it's 100% normal and expected that you are going to sleep with your buddy! in each other's arms! and press loving kisses to each other's cheeks! to 1965. But it hits different when it's one character having this experience instead of the whole culture changing around the characters more or less overnight.