Edward
What, Gaveston! welcome!—Kiss not my hand—
Embrace me, Gaveston, as I do thee.
Why should’st thou kneel? Know’st thou not who I am?
Thy friend, thyself, another Gaveston!
Not Hylas was more mourn’d of Hercules,
Than thou hast been of me since thy exile.
Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, Scene 1 Lines 139-144
Edward displays his affection for Gaveston openly and does not seem to care who knows it. During this time period, being openly gay was not something that was excepted which probably lead to most of the problems that Edward encounters with his subjects throughout his reign. It can be said that Edward was kind of an activist for gay rights seeing as he didn’t allow his role as King affect how he showed his sexuality.
