Sometimes I forget that it's not common knowledge that 19th century men were much more open about platonic affection and wonder how the hell people are so stupid...

I think also my perspective is changed by being trans. For us, even today, it's either subtext, or About Being The Thing. Trying to find a good story about a trans man that's not centred on him being trans, much less genre fiction, is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.