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I asked Patrick if he felt sad that he had to keep it a secret, and Patrick just said that he wasn’t sad because at least now, Brad doesn’t have to get drunk or stoned to make love.
Like almost everyone in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Patrick’s romantic life is complicated and painful. While Patrick is open about his sexuality, not all the men in his life are, whether due to internalized homophobia or fear of social ostracization. To have a relationship with Brad, Patrick must keep Brad’s sexuality a secret. Only Patrick’s closest friends know that they’re in a relationship. The secrecy already places a lot of pressure on Patrick, but he accepts it because it’s better than when Brad used to abuse substances just to feel comfortable enough to have sex with Patrick, because he could pretend to have forgotten the sexual activity the next day, continuing his self-delusion. It’s unfair that Patrick is made to sacrifice his dignity and honesty just to have romantic love in his life. In a better world, he and Brad could be together publicly.
There was even a nude photograph (from the back) of Patrick if you can believe it. Mary Elizabeth told everyone to keep it a secret that the photograph was Patrick, which everybody did, except Patrick.
This passage humorously explains that the friend group is meant to keep the identity of the nude model secret, but Patrick, who is the aforementioned nude model, tells everyone in school that it’s him. Patrick is completely open when it comes to his sexuality, as well as sex in general, a fact further illustrated by his involvement in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, in which he plays the seductive yet murderous Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Patrick has fun with sex and with the appeal of the human body, and he feels no shame in being open about and celebratory of human sexuality and queerness.
The best thing about Patrick is that even when you’re in a hospital, he doesn’t change. He just cracks jokes to make you feel better instead of asking you questions about feeling worse.
Something that makes Patrick so appealing as a friend is that he is always positive, kind, and charming. Patrick does the best that he can to make sure everyone feels included, and he often uses comedy to make his friends feel at ease. When Charlie is in the hospital, Patrick has some idea of the seriousness of Charlie’s condition and the trauma that has been uncovered, but he instinctually knows that Charlie needs some light and fun interactions amidst all the difficulties he has with his family and doctor during his hospital stay. Patrick’s natural social abilities make him the linchpin of his social circle and a comfort to Charlie during his worst moments.
