A kiss in the car; holding hands at the park; feeding each other at the dinner table... The love/hate relationship between people and public displays of affection is all a matter of perspective. To onlookers, seeing two people in constant skin-to-skin contact in public is indicative of bad taste. To the P.D.A. participants, the world has a population of two- them and their partner. All else is background.
Images of heterosexual P.D.A. have been implanted in our minds since many of us were old enough to stare aimlessly at the tube. Our families celebrated childhood P.D.A. as a cute boy/girl crush and the straight adults in our lives used it to solidify their relationships. However, seeing two strangers lip-locked is often taken as a gesture in bad taste that some believe should be confined to private areas. Does the same principle apply to same-gender-loving couples? Gay is OK... Just Don't Show It An old acquaintance of mine once told me, "I have no problem with gay people. They can do whatever they want. I just don't want it thrown in my face when I walk down the street." He was referring to gay men holding hands or kissing in public. (True acceptance doesn't come with restrictions, so needless to say we are no longer associated.) Is gay P.D.A. less likely to be accepted?
Before You Pull Out The Mistletoe... Some believe P.D.A. is more than a matter of taste, but safety. Todd X from Metroblogging San Francisco recalls being assaulted with a water bottle for his public display. "I was saying goodbye to a friend- one of those 'you should really come over to my place instead of going home alone' goodbyes. And, while trying to tempt the boy, a car drove by, the occupants yelled 'faggots' and tossed a bottle of Aquafina at us. Outrageous! I deserve to be bashed with Evian at least! Or Metromint."Interestingly enough, it's highly unlikely a heterosexual couple embracing in public would be accosted by a water bottle, regardless of the level of taste (no pun intended). Same-gender-loving people should have the same choice of faux pas without fear of violence, P.D.A. fans or not.
*Ramon Johnson, Your Guide To Gay Life
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