Patti Stanger did not make many friends this week when she argued that gay men aren’t into monogamous relationships. “There is no curbing the gay,” she said on “Watch What Happens Live” in front of Andy Cohen looking like he just got run over by an angry real housewife. “I’ve tried to curb you people and you just don’t … I’ve decided to throw in the towel and say ‘do what you want,’” Patti continued. Cue Bravo reeling to distance themselves from Patti’s words, since gay men are one of their primary audiences.
Hearing Patti say this, I thought, “Wow. That just isn’t true. I can name 10 gay couples in my social orbit who have been together for eons, I assume monogamously.” Not to mention the fact that for gay marriage to be the kind of issue that it is, some gay men have to want it. Then today I saw a Census statistic that proves Patti isn’t right about “you people.” Apparently, not only has the number of same-sex couples jumped 80 percent since 2000 (an indication that people are increasingly willing to declare their sexual orientation the Census), but 1 in 5 gay couples are married. Which is a high percentage considering that it’s only legal in seven states. In those seven states, 42 percent of same-sex couples have gotten married—a higher rate than straight couples. I only wish this study had separated out stats for gay and lesbian couples so I could really stick it to Patti with the numbers. [Washington Post]
Now, for the record, I love Patti Stanger. I think she is brilliant and tells it like it is. But she does have a habit of making an “iron-clad” law out of preferences she has noticed. For example, her claim that men just don’t like red heads. Or curly hair. Or that men only notice women in tight cocktail dresses. After the jump, I debunk some of Patti’s relationship myths, both anecdotally and scientifically.
Keep reading »
