Stop apologizing for enjoying romantic comedies

polygon.com:

The book-to-film adaptation Red, White & Royal Blue is out on Prime Video now, which means that once again, people who watch and enjoy romantic comedies are publicly apologizing for their taste in media. Across social media, many people are saying they liked the movie, then quickly clarifying that they know it’s dumb, silly, and not serious fare. And some critics have praised the movie while also trying to defend their fondness, saying they know Red, White & Royal Blue is “not a masterpiece,” or that liking it is “an embarrassing thing to admit.” (I’m not linking those reviews or anybody’s social-media shoutouts here because I don’t want to put any one person under fire.)

Look, I love romantic comedies. And I refuse to call them guilty pleasures — a phrase that’s overwhelmingly used for stereotypically feminine indulgences, and one we should definitely retire. Seeing people offer a million caveats about why they enjoy Red, White & Royal Blue — a perfectly good romantic comedy! — rankles me. In 2019, when the book came out, it bothered me when people praised it but dismissively referred to it as “like fanfiction.” Now it bothers me every time I see someone gush about the movie on my Instagram feed, while adding that they know it’s corny. This time, though, I am taking a stand. You can like a romantic comedy without shame or excuses, and without any strings attached.

No one goes into Meg 2: The Trench or M3GAN expecting transcendent filmmaking, but they don’t seem to feel the need to apologize for enjoying them, either. Movies can be well-constructed and fun to watch even if they don’t have the gravitas or perceived social significance of Oppenheimer.

And yet when people talk about how they enjoyed a recent romantic