The chorus of young gays
The suffering of the youth gays who passed away of AIDS in the 1980s is symbolized by the chorus of youth gays in the introductory part of the novel. The reader notes that in the 1980s, gay relationships were unacceptable, and those who practiced it did not have the freedom to access medication and protective measures to prevent them from contracting AIDS. During the 1980s, gay men were discriminated against and stigmatized. Therefore, most of them suffered in silence because society judged them harshly.
The day of kissing
The freedom of gay men is symbolized by the day of kissing, which gave men the opportunity to display their love publicly. Craig and Harry kiss each other for the longest time in history during the event, and they break the Guinness Book Record. Similarly, the day of kissing illustrates that gay men are also human, and they have feelings that they should express publicly without being stigmatized by society. Additionally, gay men argue that they require support from their parents to pursue their love life.
Societal perception
The author symbolizes societal perception toward gay men figuratively by using the relationship between Ryan and Avery. Despite modernization and upbeat gay rights, society still judges gay men harshly. For instance, Ryan is not happy with the way people judge his sexuality. According to Ryan, people should mind their business and let him freely express his sexual identity. On the other hand, Avery does not care about what people say about his sexuality, and he does not see anything wrong when they judge him.
