What's your excuse for not being in a relationship?

[Sol]

Not looking, not very attractive, spend all my time at school + work, haven't met anyone particularly interesting, still in the closet, etc.

Basically this.

Mm, but I certainly do entirely. I've posted 2 on this forum - one for the selfie thread to integrate myself into the community and one for a look alike thing. I have not posted a picture of myself anywhere else on the Internet where people might actually know me in over 2 years. And i only use Snapchat to see what people are up to.

 I'm not posting photos looking to hook up with people on this forum. Just an introvert trying to be friendly.

Ha! Not accusing you of anything- I definitely know where you're coming from. But cheer up! Neither of you deserve the sort of epithet you apply to yourself.

Me, not so much. As one poster once said, I am an obese black "guy" (if that!) who "can't even get laid". (Never mind that, religious beliefs in mind, I am quite ambivalent towards that last bit, but the larger picture is that I am a solitary figure.)

Don't feel bad about yourself! You are a catch.

[Sol]

How do you know that? On what do you base your assertion?

You're are an intellectually interesting person. Anyone who writes posts like yours in this thread:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=145772.0

Must be a pretty interesting person. Wouldn't a woman (or at least a cool one) want to have a significant other to talk about cool things with? And you are conversant on many other relevant subjects.

Not confident about your appearance? Firstly, I doubt that you are so unattractive as you say you are.
Secondly, being a cool person is its own aphrodisiac. I know who I find attractive IRL is heavily influenced by personality--douchiness is a turnoff, and smarts is a plus.

And you seem to be remonstrating yourself for some lack of masculinity. I'm not the first one to say this, but feeling the need to conform to some arbitrary religious standards is ridiculous. So what if you aren't a knight of old, or Haile Selassie? Neither are the macho dudes out there dating, and if push came to shove I'm sure he wouldn't respond courageously to a scenario where the courage stereotypically associated with traditional masculinity is warranted.

[Sol]

I appreciate your encouragement, Sol, but I doubt women find tedious and overwritten soliloquies on the nature of fascism to be the most invigourating pillow talk. Perhaps you would know better than I, but I'm rather skeptical it's what passes for "cool" these days, or, indeed, did at any point in time. I might know a lot of things but I'm a lacklustre conversationalist. Not to mention rather awkward and inept all around, socially speaking.

So, that aside, I'm also not attractive. No. Just no. I am not. And religious standards, I am afraid, are not "arbitrary". Who is "he", by the way? Janhoy?

EDIT: By "Janhoy" I mean Haile Selassie.

"He" was the previously referenced 'macho dudes'. In an earlier draft instead of 'macho dudes' I had the phrase 'a rugby player' and it made it thru the shift.

I'm honestly not too familiar with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, but is there some sort of expectation of masculine conduct?

[Sol]

I think people are misunderstanding what I was saying about Simfan and his religious beliefs--I was talking about Gender Roles, not Sexual Activity. Obviously Simfan shouldn't have premarital sex if he doesn't want it. But I don't think there's a religious reason for him to admonish his lack of 'manliness'.

Since you say you're a bad conversationalist, I highly recommend this book. You may feel silly reading a book about how to talk to girls if you put in the effort I guarantee you this guys advice will help.

Get out please.