Intimacy Freak-Out & Gay Men: Part One

"Intimacy freak-out." You've seen it before. You've probably encountered it during your dating escapades. It happens when things seem to be going famously with that special guy you've been dating, and when things start getting just a little bit serious, BAM! He disappears, never to be heard from again, for no apparent reason. Or those men who will have sex with you, but they refuse to kiss you during foreplay and then they're immediately clothed and out the door faster than a speeding bullet after they've had their climax.

Or perhaps you're in a long-term relationship and your partner isn't a real big fan of cuddling or showing displays of affection. He seems distant, aloof, "cut off" from you at times. Or maybe you, yourself, struggle with detachment from your lover or have been told by him that you're "too needy and clingy."

Welcome to the wonderful world of "intimacy issues!" Intimacy deficits are a phenomenon and common cause or symptom of relationship problems in both gay and straight partnerships. It's been called a "man thing", but gay men can be particularly vulnerable to "intimacy freak-out", and Part 1 of this two-part article series will address the reasons behind this and help you gain a better understanding of the dynamics involved in intimacy in gay relationships.

What is Intimacy Freak-Out?

To understand this concept, an understanding of what constitutes intimacy is needed. Most people immediately think of sex when the word "intimacy" is used, but that's not what we're talking about here; that's just one component. Intimacy is the ability to be emotionally close to another man, being able to be who you truly are with no facades or defenses, to be uninhibited and express yourself in a reciprocal way with your partner so both of you feel safe and open to share and communicate about anything and everything. There's no need to feel guarded or defensive with each other because you've established a foundation of security and unconditional love and acceptance in your relationship. You know you are loved for who you are.

Intimacy is not just about "togetherness" though. Healthy intimacy requires a balance of "we" and "me"; there's a flexibility between the amount of closeness and space that exists between you and your lover. You both exercise good boundaries and respect each other's limits, knowing that it's important to have your own individual identity as well as your identity as a couple.

It's like a dance the two of you do together, flowing back and forth between merging and separating. But you don't stay stuck in one for too long and you both develop a rhythm and synchronicity, communicating your needs and feelings all the while and being attuned to your partner's. "Mature intimacy requires both a capacity to be independent and separate and a capacity to be close to the other emotionally and to acknowledge needs for attachment, connectedness, and dependency" (Greenan & Tunnell, 2003). Intimacy is the ultimate validation of your relationship.