Well I am a LGBT activist and I didn't know - nor did my partner and she is employed by an LGBT charity. I just spoke to my friends who got married on Saturday and they didn't know either! Had I known I might have mentioned the coincidence in the speech I made at their reception.
In any case, the complaint about them kissing was still made by the customer; the security guard still did the wrong thing and the supermarket have, rightly, apologised.
I knew but that's because the Trevor Project sent me an E-mail, it would have passed me by too, otherwise.
It's not recognised in the U.K really and as I've said in a few posts already, it's an American observance.
It's because it's an American observance, not a British one.
Perhaps, but the OP states "National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is an annual civil awareness day internationally observed" and even the DM states "The row began on Saturday – which was National Coming Out Day..." so I'll stick with my 'publicity stunt' theory due to the convenient coincidentalitiness of it.
I just think it would be nice if the default position of people was one that recognised homophobia is still alive and well and limiting people's lives even in such small ways.
I was at a wedding at the weekend - it was lovely and yet I was acutely concious that the grooms would not have a 'kissing photo' on the steps of the registry office because it was too public. That we should even have to consider how we behave in this way demonstrates that we still have a long way to go - and most LGBT couples do have to think 'is it ok to hold hands here' and 'should I give her a kiss goodbye at the station' etc.
When I see these stories I know that on here people will immediately start conjecturing that they must have been doing more than reported; or that they did it 'to make a point' and it saddens me that so many just don't understand that homophobia is still a day to day consideration for many LGBT people in the UK. Yesterday when I kissed my partner in a spontaneous PDA the first thing I did afterwards was look around to check if we had 'got away with it'. That is sad for me but sadder still to know that had someone asked us to leave the forecourt because of it, that people on here would simply not have believed me when I said it was just a 'quick kiss'.
If that is all that is left then actually proves one thing, that you have a very SHORT way to go. Honestly. I didnt kiss my wife in the open air at my wedding as i thought it too public. Im not complaining about discrimination.
I can understand why the individual may wish to complain but its where she talks about having a 'human right to kiss in the supermarket' that it all starts to sound a bit pathetic.
If that is all that is left then actually proves one thing, that you have a very SHORT way to go. Honestly. I didnt kiss my wife in the open air at my wedding as i thought it too public. Im not complaining about discrimination.
Then you missed the point of my post. You may have considered it too public because of personal reticence about PDAs. LGBT people consider it because they are concerned that others will shout abuse or worse.
You live in a world where you can sit back, look at the legislation and say 'well that's sorted then'. I live in a world where I can be asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand on Valentine's day; where I can be punched for walking down a shopping street in Brighton on a Saturday morning for being 'a fat dyke'; and where one of my friends is in hospital with a broken back after someone pushed him down the stairs because he was 'a dirty queer';
Do you not think LGBT people get offended or get sick of having heterosexism rammed down their throats because I tell you someting as a straight man with many LGBT friends I can tell you a lot of them are sick of having heterosexism shoved in their faces on TV and in public on a daily basis.
Then you missed the point of my post. You may have considered it too public because of personal reticence about PDAs. LGBT people consider it because they are concerned that others will shout abuse or worse.
You live in a world where you can sit back, look at the legislation and say 'well that's sorted then'. I live in a world where I can be asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand on Valentine's day; where I can be punched for walking down a shopping street in Brighton on a Saturday morning for being 'a fat dyke'; and where one of my friends is in hospital with a broken back after someone pushed him down the stairs because he was 'a dirty queer';
It really is so disgusting that this continues to happen in this country in this day and age all because of the people they love its not right at all. >:(
To be honest supermarket's aren't really for snogging though are they? I doubt it was just a peck on the cheek, and I suspect they'd ask a hetero couple doing the same to stop also.
Living at the Seaside as I do ,I often see men and women gazing into each others eyes and kissing my local pub, It is a village with lots of holiday Lets. They're obviously here for a Dirty/Passionate weekend. Our Barmaid often says, and nodding in their direction you can tell they are not married:)
Who are these people who think they have a right "not to see" something? How utterly arrogant to think that if you don't want to see something everyone else has to hop into line and stop doing it.
I am with the opinions that snogging in supermarkets is unnecessary, and I doubt it was a peck. Straight or gay doesn't matter, just get on with the shopping and don't treat the other customers to the sight of you slobbering over each other.
That said, if it is a same sex couple, the store is asking for trouble, because some will perceive it as discrimination.
Then you missed the point of my post. You may have considered it too public because of personal reticence about PDAs. LGBT people consider it because they are concerned that others will shout abuse or worse.
You live in a world where you can sit back, look at the legislation and say 'well that's sorted then'. I live in a world where I can be asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand on Valentine's day; where I can be punched for walking down a shopping street in Brighton on a Saturday morning for being 'a fat dyke'; and where one of my friends is in hospital with a broken back after someone pushed him down the stairs because he was 'a dirty queer';
I did get a lump in my throat reading that a little, because it's all too true -sigh-
Hang on, you're up in arms over this story, yet your LGBT friends are sick of heterosexualism in public?
They are not sick of heterosexual individuals in general but some of them have expressed their strong dislike of "heterosexism" the two words have two different meanings.
Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favour of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that other people are heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior
Yes I condemn homophobia and all bigotry and sexism and racism is that a bad thing? Because if that makes me a bad person then I hate to find out what the definition of a good person would be. Yes I do speak my mind and stand up for peoples rights and justice because that is something that I`m deeply passionate about I don`t believe in just accepting the status quo because that never gets nobody very far.
But in another line the DM calls it a 'lesbian clinch'.
I was going on what the couple themselves said - given that the DM are just as likely to convert a 'light kiss' into 'had sex on top of the organic mushrooms'.
I am all for free speech, I don't like people who blow things out of proportion and run straight to the press, and sorry but I don't really think this was about educating or highlighting
'Infuriated, the 22-year-old reported the incident to fellow gay rights activists online, declaring that Sainsbury’s was guilty of perpetrating a hate crime and that she had a ‘human right’ to kiss in the supermarket'
That to me says she is over the top, she accepts an apology she accepts a charity donation and then accuses them of a hate crime.
To me it suggests a set up.
I was thinking about this after I came off line early this morning and like I've said prerviously it doesn't make sense.
So we have an innocent peck on the cheek of the kind given when two people greet each other and is a common sight nowadays, however 'someone' sees this particular one happen and decides to complain to a security guard who then tells tha couple to leave the store over what is a simple peck on the cheek? - nope that doesn't happen.
Reading what the 22yr old did next tells me that this was a stunt by activists and the person who complained was in on it.
Yeah Sainsburys apologised etc but what else could they do, it wouldn't be worth the bad publicity that would be heaped on them by gay activists for them not to.
I did get a lump in my throat reading that a little, because it's all too true -sigh-
I know, it touched me too because I lost a friend a long time ago to homophobic bullying and it was severe and included sexual assaults he committed suicide so I have seen first hand what many gay and bisexual people have to go through which is why I despise those individuals who promote hate and bigotry against them.
I was thinking about this after I came off line early this morning and like I've said prerviously it doesn't make sense.
So we have an innocent peck on the cheek of the kind given when two people greet each other and is a common sight nowadays, however 'someone' sees this particular one happen and decides to complain to a security guard who then tells tha couple to leave the store over a simple peck on the cheek? - nope that doesn't happen.
Reading what the 22yr old did next tells me that this was a stunt by activists and the person who complained was in on it.
Yeah Sainsburys apologised etc but what else could they do, it wouldn't be worth the bad publicity that would be heaped on them by gay activists for them not to.
Don't you think these things happen at all then? Or if they do, then is it just the ones that people report are false? What basis do you have for this view, because where I sit I hear about incidents like this all too often and they have happened to me. Or did I set up the time when I was asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand?
Or are you just another one of those people who think homophobia no longer happens in the UK simply because we have some laws against it?
LGBT people don't need to set up 'stunts' - because this sort of nonsense happens without any effort by us at all.
Don't you think these things happen at all then? Or if they do, then is it just the ones that people report are false? What basis do you have for this view, because where I sit I hear about incidents like this all too often and they have happened to me. Or did I set up the time when I was asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand?
Or are you just another one of those people who think homophobia no longer happens in the UK simply because we have some laws against it?
LGBT people don't need to set up 'stunts' - because this sort of nonsense happens without any effort by us at all.
I'm saying this one didn't happen, as for other incidents then if an example comes up and there's a thread then I'll comment on that after waying up the situation, anecdotal evidence will be ignored though.
Comments
I knew but that's because the Trevor Project sent me an E-mail, it would have passed me by too, otherwise.
It's not recognised in the U.K really and as I've said in a few posts already, it's an American observance.
If that is all that is left then actually proves one thing, that you have a very SHORT way to go. Honestly. I didnt kiss my wife in the open air at my wedding as i thought it too public. Im not complaining about discrimination.
Then you missed the point of my post. You may have considered it too public because of personal reticence about PDAs. LGBT people consider it because they are concerned that others will shout abuse or worse.
You live in a world where you can sit back, look at the legislation and say 'well that's sorted then'. I live in a world where I can be asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand on Valentine's day; where I can be punched for walking down a shopping street in Brighton on a Saturday morning for being 'a fat dyke'; and where one of my friends is in hospital with a broken back after someone pushed him down the stairs because he was 'a dirty queer';
Oh dear.
It really is so disgusting that this continues to happen in this country in this day and age all because of the people they love its not right at all. >:(
Yes indeed oh dear, how dare those queers complain and how dare anyone be an ally to those queers or understand their concerns.
I`ll take that as a compliment ;-)
Living at the Seaside as I do ,I often see men and women gazing into each others eyes and kissing my local pub, It is a village with lots of holiday Lets. They're obviously here for a Dirty/Passionate weekend. Our Barmaid often says, and nodding in their direction you can tell they are not married:)
It's called personal choice, live with it.
That said, if it is a same sex couple, the store is asking for trouble, because some will perceive it as discrimination.
I did get a lump in my throat reading that a little, because it's all too true -sigh-
They are not sick of heterosexual individuals in general but some of them have expressed their strong dislike of "heterosexism" the two words have two different meanings.
Yes I condemn homophobia and all bigotry and sexism and racism is that a bad thing? Because if that makes me a bad person then I hate to find out what the definition of a good person would be. Yes I do speak my mind and stand up for peoples rights and justice because that is something that I`m deeply passionate about I don`t believe in just accepting the status quo because that never gets nobody very far.
I was going on what the couple themselves said - given that the DM are just as likely to convert a 'light kiss' into 'had sex on top of the organic mushrooms'.
To me it suggests a set up.
I was thinking about this after I came off line early this morning and like I've said prerviously it doesn't make sense.
So we have an innocent peck on the cheek of the kind given when two people greet each other and is a common sight nowadays, however 'someone' sees this particular one happen and decides to complain to a security guard who then tells tha couple to leave the store over what is a simple peck on the cheek? - nope that doesn't happen.
Reading what the 22yr old did next tells me that this was a stunt by activists and the person who complained was in on it.
Yeah Sainsburys apologised etc but what else could they do, it wouldn't be worth the bad publicity that would be heaped on them by gay activists for them not to.
I know, it touched me too because I lost a friend a long time ago to homophobic bullying and it was severe and included sexual assaults he committed suicide so I have seen first hand what many gay and bisexual people have to go through which is why I despise those individuals who promote hate and bigotry against them.
Don't you think these things happen at all then? Or if they do, then is it just the ones that people report are false? What basis do you have for this view, because where I sit I hear about incidents like this all too often and they have happened to me. Or did I set up the time when I was asked to leave a restaurant for holding my wife's hand?
Or are you just another one of those people who think homophobia no longer happens in the UK simply because we have some laws against it?
LGBT people don't need to set up 'stunts' - because this sort of nonsense happens without any effort by us at all.
Must me a slow news day
I'm saying this one didn't happen, as for other incidents then if an example comes up and there's a thread then I'll comment on that after waying up the situation, anecdotal evidence will be ignored though.