In this current bummer of a world, we often wake up to bad news. This morning, it was devastating. I picked up my phone and saw multiple texts asking me how I felt about the fact that … Chrishell Stause and G Flip have broken up.
If those names seem like some sort of gibberish to you, I won’t expect you to understand the seismic shift. While I was sleeping soundly in Australia in the knowledge that love exists, Strause, from the LA “real estate” show Selling Sunset, posted a vulnerable and deeply sad video where she revealed that she and Australian drummer G Flip have parted ways, after being married for several years. Her clear, genuine sadness, her talk of feeling like a failure – it moved me.
I posted about it on Instagram and in came the flood of responses: Nooooo. Many queer people in particular have been sliced in the heart by this news. Every group chat I’m in is talking about it (not all instigated by me).
I’ve started seeing comments under posts about the breakup such as “who?” or worse, “who cares?” and I have to tell you that I care. To me, and people like me, this relationship was a beautiful queer success story. Chrishell comes from a poor background, and her previous marriage ended in a brutal public dumping by actor Justin Hartley.
She joined Selling Sunset as a real estate agent, and soon became the main character as she compellingly rebuilt her life. During the process she met and fell in love with a non-binary drummer from Australia. Watching someone from such a hyper heterosexual world like Los Angeles real estate, from a hyper heterosexual show like Selling Sunset, begin to dip her toe into the queer world was amazing.
Watching her, experiencing a truly fulfilling romantic relationship, and falling for someone who loved her back and encouraged her to be her true self, was a balm. Bringing that queer dynamic to the world of reality TV was also deeply enjoyable. I think everyone tuned into this public relationship, was happy to see Chrishell glowing.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
