Eh, somehow I doubt Mark would have reacted particularly well if Amber had tried asking him point blank whether or not he was gay. I mean, he did say he wanted sex with her, so it appears he was at least somewhat going along with the whole “I’m trying to be straight” storyline.
Why all the Amber hate? It’s not like Mark is being a bastion of openness and honesty. He straight up asked Amber out just to use her to get over Steve. He’s kept his orientation a total secret from her. And she luckily understands and tries (maybe clumsily) to help.
Mark only started dating Amber because Steve suggested he should in the first place. And even then, Jamie’s the one who suggested the idea to Steve, thinking it would help make Mark straight, because of his own homophobic/SPOILERS issues.
The point is they’re all dumb teens who have no idea how communication works, and as a result they keep screwing each other over, often without realizing. The real issue I have is that a lot of the dumbassery seems to have been done by a lack of hindsight, thanks to Tab’s immature writing skills at the time. When you’re a teen, you see someone being smartass or sly like Amber here and think “wow, she’s so cool”, whereas as an adult with better ideas of how the world works (hopefully) would look at Amber and go “uh girl maybe be more confrontational about this?”
Of course, her lack of confrontation is why she still hangs out with those snooty friends of hers, so it still works, I guess. :|a
Look, just because you’ve probably grown up having to be sneaky (Hint Culture), and then finding that being upfront (Ask Culture) is better once you get friends you’re more comfortable with doesn’t mean that going that direction is growing up for everyone else.
I grew up in a supportive and open environment where I didn’t have to watch what I said. Growing up, to me, means finding out how to be sneaky and how to use an indirect approach. With my company’s clients, especially. (I work in application development).
It’s not even a childish thing. In a place where homophobia is rampant, yeah, asking “Are you gay?” is seen as a threat.
Also, it is clear from the descriptions of Amber’s parents, and the rest of her backstory, that she grew up in Hint Culture. It is a valid part of her character. She’s a precious, observant, manipulative (in a good way), wallflower.
I actually feel like Amber is being rather deceitful and manipulative. I can’t really sympathize for her.
I find strategizing can be a rather important part of dating. Even when it’s NOT super confusing.
i feel like you can forgive high schoolers for being idiots
Eh, somehow I doubt Mark would have reacted particularly well if Amber had tried asking him point blank whether or not he was gay. I mean, he did say he wanted sex with her, so it appears he was at least somewhat going along with the whole “I’m trying to be straight” storyline.
Why all the Amber hate? It’s not like Mark is being a bastion of openness and honesty. He straight up asked Amber out just to use her to get over Steve. He’s kept his orientation a total secret from her. And she luckily understands and tries (maybe clumsily) to help.
Pots and kettles.
Mark only started dating Amber because Steve suggested he should in the first place. And even then, Jamie’s the one who suggested the idea to Steve, thinking it would help make Mark straight, because of his own homophobic/SPOILERS issues.
The point is they’re all dumb teens who have no idea how communication works, and as a result they keep screwing each other over, often without realizing. The real issue I have is that a lot of the dumbassery seems to have been done by a lack of hindsight, thanks to Tab’s immature writing skills at the time. When you’re a teen, you see someone being smartass or sly like Amber here and think “wow, she’s so cool”, whereas as an adult with better ideas of how the world works (hopefully) would look at Amber and go “uh girl maybe be more confrontational about this?”
Of course, her lack of confrontation is why she still hangs out with those snooty friends of hers, so it still works, I guess. :|a
Look, just because you’ve probably grown up having to be sneaky (Hint Culture), and then finding that being upfront (Ask Culture) is better once you get friends you’re more comfortable with doesn’t mean that going that direction is growing up for everyone else.
I grew up in a supportive and open environment where I didn’t have to watch what I said. Growing up, to me, means finding out how to be sneaky and how to use an indirect approach. With my company’s clients, especially. (I work in application development).
It’s not even a childish thing. In a place where homophobia is rampant, yeah, asking “Are you gay?” is seen as a threat.
Also, it is clear from the descriptions of Amber’s parents, and the rest of her backstory, that she grew up in Hint Culture. It is a valid part of her character. She’s a precious, observant, manipulative (in a good way), wallflower.