The problem with the theory that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are secretly lovers-Brooke Ivey Johnson-Entertainment – Metro

The internet is convinced that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are secretly lovers (Picture: Dave Allocca/StarPix for Amazon/REX/Shutterstock)

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are one of the most enduring power couples in Hollywood.

The writers of Good Will Hunting have been best friends since Ben was 8 and Matt was 10 when they lived a few doors down from each other near Boston, Massachusetts.

Since then, their friendship has endured marriages, career highs and lows, and good and bad publicity.

A beautiful, ideal friendship, right? Well, according to some people on the internet, their bond is actually secretly far closer than just best friends.

If you’ve ever seen a meme that includes the words, ‘Which could mean nothing…’ its a play on an enduring online conspiracy theory and meme created about Ben and Matt.

It first began thanks to a headline that read: ‘Matt Damon not wearing wedding ring again during another visit to Ben Affleck’s house which could mean nothing.’

The pair got their big break writing Goodwill Hunting together (Picture: Miramax/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

The meme first arose from this headline (Picture: Reddit)

The phrasing of the clickbait headline was so off-kilter and hilarious, it quickly went viral, with people sharing moments where Ben and Matt’s devotion to each other was clear and captioning them ‘Which could mean nothing.’

In the wake of Ben’s highly publicised divorce from J.Lo, the meme has been resurrected again, with people once again wildly speculating that maybe Ben and Matt have been secret lovers all along.

The phrase allows one to offer a piece of information without actually saying, ‘This is kind of romantic, right???’, allowing for wild speculation without proof – one of the internet’s favourite pastimes.

Fans have found many examples they think point to a romantic relationship (Picture: Reddit)

One fan pointed out that Matt has supposedly never liked Ben’s girlfriends (Picture: Reddit)

One person pointed out that Ben looked immediately to Matt to his reaction during the La La Land Oscars debacle (Picture: Reddit)

Others pointed out clearly meaningless moments like when the pair made their Oscars kiss (Picture: Reddit)

There are plenty of examples of closeness (Picture: Reddit)

A clip of an interview in which Matt said he doesn’t want to be Ben’s ‘friend in public’ also went viral (Picture: Reddit)

To be fair, the two men are either very much in on the joke, or choosing to hide in plain sight, as they often joke that their connection is romantic.

In one interview, when asked who Matt would consider as a gay lover he quickly answered Ben Affleck.

In another instance, when presenting together, they joked to the audience that they were at their ‘coming out party.’

But they’re also often very sincere about the importance of their friendship. In a profile for GQ, Matt says of Ben: ‘Like, I don’t want to be his friend in public, you know what I mean? It’s way too important a friendship for that, and it goes so beyond this career or anything. You know, it’s a significant part of my life and not for public consumption in that way.’

The meme is intended to be light-hearted and playful, but some users think it reflects something far more toxic about our culture: Our inability to allow men to be affectionate and close without accusing them of being gay.

The two men are childhood best friends who clearly adore each other and choose to spend a lot of time together, why is that so strange?

As one Reddit user pointed out, implying that intimacy cannot exist between two men without sexual or romantic ties is a very toxic narrative that keeps men from creating lasting, emotionally connective friendships.

Both Matt and Ben have called their friendship ‘a partnership’ (Picture: Bei/REX/Shutterstock)

Some pointed out how its unfair to imply two close male friends are gay (Picture: Reddit)

Some Reddit users have pointed out how the trend is toxic (Picture: Reddit)

While women are expected to be emotionally intimate with their friends, prevailing cultural narratives tend to make men think emotional intimacy is weak or feminine, hindering the creation of close ties between men and leaving them lonely and isolated.

The fact that Ben and Matt are in on the joke is likely a reflection of this as well. Joking about their connection allows them to continue to be close while kind of acknowledging that they know its out of the ordinary for men – as long as they’re in on the joke, no one is laughing at them.

In truth, the meme reflects a tragic truth about male isolation and the rarity of close male friendships.

It’s fun and playful to speculate that maybe Ben and Matt have really been in love all these years, but isn’t it far more powerful to acknowledge that partnership can exist within friendship?

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