Is Romance Dead in Gay Culture?

In a world of swipes, situationships, and high-intensity connections, romance can start to feel obsolete — replaced by sexual energy, emotional guardedness, or the safety of detachment. And yet many of us still long for thoughtfulness, depth, being chosen and choosing in return. In this episode, we explore why that part of us often gets buried under performance, fear of rejection, and modern dating norms — and what it actually takes to lead with romance instead of intensity. We talk about: What romance really looks and feels like in dating  Why intensity is so often mistaken for intimacy What it means to actively bring romance into your dating life How love languages and attachment styles shape our romantic expression And what truly sweeps us off our feet This conversation is both a reality check and an ode to the intentional, courageous, thoughtful part of ourselves that still believes in romance. Today's Hosts: Michael DiIorio - Take the 360° Self-Review for Gay Men Matt Landsiedel Reno Johnston Support the Show - viewer and listener support helps us to continue making episodes - CONNECT WITH US - Watch podcast episodes on YouTube Join the Gay Men's Brotherhood Facebook community Get on our email list to get access to our monthly Zoom calls Follow us on Instagram | TikTok Learn more about our community at GayMenGoingDeeper.com - LEARN WITH US - Building Better Relationships online course: Learn how to nurture more meaningful and authentic connections with yourself and others. Healing Your Shame online course: Begin the journey toward greater confidence and self-worth by learning how to recognize and deal with toxic shame. Gay Men Going Deeper Coaching Collection: Lifetime access to BOTH courses + 45 coaching videos and 2 workshop series. Take the Attachment Style Quiz to determine your attachment style and get a free report. Chapters (00:00:05) - Gay Men Going Deeper: The Romantic Gay Man(00:00:53) - How To Bring Romance Into Your Dating & Relationships(00:01:56) - How To Be Romantic In Gay Culture(00:03:47) - Michael on Romance in Gay Culture(00:07:34) - Gay Men Talk About Romance(00:12:44) - "I Don't Think Romance Is Romantic"(00:18:00) - How To Start A Romance: Setting the Tone(00:20:25) - The Gay Men's Brotherhood(00:21:09) - How Do You Bring Romance Into Dating?(00:25:48) - How Do I Bring Romance Into Dating?(00:29:03) - What's The Most Romantic Thing You've Ever Done For Someone?(00:33:40) - How To Get Out Of Your Attractor's Grip(00:34:51) - The Most Romantic Thing Someone's Done For Me(00:36:47) - What Do You Need To Know To Be Swept Off Your Feet(00:39:04) - Toronto Guy Problems(00:43:11) - Saved Off My Feet(00:47:10) - "If I'm a 10, I'll Keep Dating"(00:50:05) - Don't Be Afraid To Be Romantic With Your Gay Guy Friends