The people who do that are trying to set themselves apart from the hoipolloi and appear to be unique and “creative.” They fear being considered ordinary; the kiss of death in their eyes. They don’t see that they are conforming to just another form of conformity and risking their future prospects for jobs and entry into so-called polite society.
Doonesbury is about imperfect people with character defects; anti social moms, messed up children, et. That’s what makes it humorous, isn’t it? People living conventional lives who live by the rules and don’t “mess up” (if there are such people) as characters in a comic, wouldn’t be funny at all.
Gay people date.