Top, bottom or verse?

Homosexual relationships have always been labelled by society as a taboo, in the gay community itself exist more labels: Top, Bottom and Verse. The “Top” being identified as the person who penetrates the other, the “Bottom” being the partner who is penetrated and the “Verse” partner being somewhere in between, flirting with both sexual roles. Labels exist to differentiate and identify, being labelled as a “Top”, “Bottom” or “Verse” refers exclusively to sexual roles, with the criteria being limited as such. I sat through the TABS session taking the backseat, listening to the views being thrown out, and the one thing that stood out most was the stereotypes associated with each role.

The “Top” is portrayed as the masculine provider, he’s dominant and commanding, he’s tall, dark and handsome and he epitomizes the social guidelines as to how a male show be, his mannerisms, how he speaks, how he dresses. The “Bottom” is portrayed in the opposite light, he’s weak and effeminate, he submits to his partner, he takes on the role in the relationship that a woman would in a heterosexual arrangement. But in retrospect, isn’t comparing a homosexual relationship to a heterosexual one out of context? The dynamics are different, and they are supposed to be, gender roles are more fluid and mutual agreement permits a chance to even play on social roles, asking who’s the “man” and who’s the “woman” in a gay relationship becomes just as absurd as going to a Chinese restaurant and asking which chopstick is the fork.

The verse partner by extension enjoys the best of both worlds, his role is less rigid and usually more comfortable, with the “Verse-bottom” being penetrated on most occasions but every now and then, flipping the script. Similarly, the “Verse-top” enjoys being penetrated on occasions.

The masculine guy who identifies himself as a “Bottom” should become no more surprising than the effeminate guy identifying himself as a “Top”. Stereotypes will only exist because they are a general truth, the perpetuation of negative stereotypes in the gay community will only serve to damage and demotivate, rather than uplift and empower. The “Bottom” adapts the roles of a submissive woman in a heterosexual relationship, because that is expected. Putting him at risk to be overpowered and engaging in unsafe activities.
Being a top, bottom or verse should be applied only to preferred sexual practises, just like sexual preference only identifies one aspect of an individual’s life. Instead of becoming the product of a label, The Attractor chooses to break free from social conforms. He’s empowered and he’s multidimensional, he wants to get to know you, whether you’re a top, bottom or verse.

The Attractor