In response to recent incidents in El Paso, Salt Lake City and San Antonio, gay-rights activists are planning The Great Nationwide Kiss-In, set for 1 p.m. Dallas time on Aug. 15. (The above video was produced by organizers.) I haven’t heard of any local groups planning to participate, but needless to say this seems to be right up Queer Liberaction’s alley. After all, the group already staged a Queer Kiss-In outside the Dallas Museum of Art in February. Anyhow, I thought this might be a good opportunity on a Monday morning for Instant Tea commentators to discuss, civilly, their opinions about whether Kiss-In’s are an effective strategy for achieving LGBT equality. So have at it.
I’m personally not a fan of the kiss-ins (or PDA in general). They seem to have the effect of antagonizing the public rather than the discriminating establishments.
The best way to achieve equality is to come out of the closet. Also, TV images of same-sex couples getting married since 2004 have helped immensely (before that, the only stock footage of gay people you’d see on TV was from gay pride parades). Progress is being made as we speak.
How bout a “Wack-In”?
A Kiss-in is effective in several ways:
Most straight people have never seen a queer couple kiss before. This is their chance and satisfies a curiosity for a lot of people that they might otherwise be too embarrased to ask their queer friends about.
There is nothing wrong with kissing in public, as long it’s in line with what is customary for straight couples given the time and place and occasion. People need to be shown this.
This really tests anti-discrimination laws and ordinances. It’s easy for cities (like Fort Worth or El Paso or Salt Lake) to pass and tout their anti-discrimination ordinances. However, for most of these cities, these ordinances are just for show and are not enforced in practice. This forces cities to really enforce their anti-discrimination laws.
The kiss in will cause some people passing by to harass the queer couples. This is good because it publically demonstrates that there are still people out there who are against queers.
It can actually force families or groups of friends passing by to discuss queer rights. At the previous kiss ins, several families or groups of friends had impromptu debates among themselves about the kiss in and about queer rights in general. These types of discussions are healthy.
In general, direct action is the only thing that has worked in any civil rights movement. LGBT people who say otherwise simply need to check their history. The tea parties, dress up fancy dinners, conventions at 5 star hotels, etc. have done little or nothing in the way of real progress.
On a related note, here would really be a good test of a cities anti-discrimination laws:
Have a queer couple go into a right wing religious bookstore just hold hands and making it clear they are a queer couple. Since bookstores are taxable entities, if there is an anti-discrimination ordinance that includes LGBT, then the bookstore cannot ask them to leave as long as they are legitimately browsing for books. If the bookstore does ask them to leave, then the city should file discrimination charged against the bookstore and fine it or suspend or revoke its business license.
Now that would be a true test of whether or not cities are serious about enforcing their anti-discrimination ordinances.
Public displays such as “kiss-in’s” tend to stir up and unite the homophobic opposition. I think it helps them rally their troops. If the ultimate goal is to sway public opinion I don’t think kiss in’s are effective. On the other hand the video in this article takes on the issue in a more subtle way and I think would be a great way to fight the battle.
I would say Kiss Ins are effective. If anything its just a way for our community to express that their our numbers of gay out their and were not afraid to express our sexuality. Heterosexual couples express their affection all the time and we don’t call the police. We have just as much of right to give our partners a kiss on the cheek or the mouth just as much as anyone else.
Agreed, it shows our numbers, that we’re not afraid to express our sexuality, and that we have the right to kiss our partners just as anyone else does. But what does it accomplish in terms of the goal of equal rights – marriage, military, etc. I still believe it taunts and unites the opposition and gives them ammunition they need to sway the undecided in their direction. Bottom line though I think we do have the right, I support that right and if I ever land in jail for kissing my partner I hope y’all will come HELP!!!!
We don’t need a kiss-in. ALWAYS kiss your boyfriend/girlfriend if you feel like it. Don’t hide it. Don’t flaunt it.
Again, I am in the middle about this. I believe that we should be able to express our affection in public with no fear. Do I believe a group of people getting their mack on in public is effective? No. The people involved in the Kiss In will see this a freedom of expression. The audience will see this as a perverse display of affection. A large concentrated group of people kissing looks more like an orgy than a demonstration. It will not change any minds or hearts. I, personally, could live without anyone’s PDA but my personal opinion should never infringe on the rights of a specific group.
Got my lip balm out and getting my lips ready. The less visible LGBT citizens are the easier it is for others to deny our rights. Unseen and unheard leads to the impression that we don’t exist. I have to admit I am not big on PDAs myself, but I have seen them for years among my straight friends and it’s time they saw the same from us.
After all, a kiss on the lips may be quite continental…but silence is a gay’s worst friend. Sorry Jule Stein and Carol Channing!
Personally anyone kissing in public is not something I want to see. Typically I end up in line at WalMart or any number of stores with some ugly rednecks making out while waiting to pay for their beer or tampons. That time in your life doesn’t ring out “This turns me. Better make out with my lady!” There is a time and place for everything.
Mark G says it very well for me. I agree with everything he said. Kissing is a beautiful thing. We should be able to kiss someone we love anytime and anyplace we feel like it just like straight people do. Sure there probably will be some backlash. But there already is. I would like to see the homophobes try to ticket or arrest everyone participating in the kiss in.
I don’t agree with a Kiss-In. Public shows of affection are wrong no mater what sexual preferance they have. No one wants to see ANYONE smacking on another. It’s just distasteful.
Reguarding Mark G’s comment about sending a gay couple to a christian book store just to see if it pisses them off is wrong on so many levels. First, it’s a set up. Only scabs set people up. That’s why prisioners in jail off them. A scab is a scab no matter what the cause. Second… If you have no interest in christian books, why go in the first place. That’s no better than straight people hanging around gay bars to cause violence. Going into any place just to cause trouble is simply wrong.
My choice of public desplays of gayness are t-shirts that say Fag or HOMOcidal. Make a point without being gross or vicious.
There will definitely be a kiss in in Dallas! Details are being worked on! Stay tuned!