Is..USA Ready For Gay Public Displays of Affection!!!!

[Daanyeer]

Is Main Street USA Ready For Gay Public Displays of Affection Source: abcnews.go.com
April 25, 2008 Author: By ELIZABETH S. JOSEPH

Two years ago, ABC News hired two actors, a man and a woman, to publicly display their affection for each other by kissing in public at a restaurant. Reactions from other restaurant-goers varied; some onlookers enjoyed the sight of young love, while others lost their appetite.

This year, we once again decided to explore how the public responds to public displays of affection -- but this time, our couples were gay.

ABC News asked two couples, Kaolin and James, and Ashby and Leslie, to sit on park benches in Verona, N.J., and then in Birmingham, Ala., to see if there were any differences in reaction among passersby in the two regions of the country. Although all four individuals were actors, showing their love and affection for each other was far from acting. Kaolin and James have been in a committed relationship for two years, while Ashby and Leslie are a married couple who have been together for eight years.

New Jersey Resident: 'I Don't Really Find It Inappropriate'

"When I see a gay couple, if they want to kiss or whatever, I really don't mind as long as they're happy," Chris, a Verona resident, told ABC News. Interestingly, feelings about PDA (public displays of affection) varied if individuals observed the female couple kissing as opposed to the male couple.

Naomi Goldman from New Jersey noticed Ashby and Leslie kissing while seated on the park bench and told ABC News, "I'm in support of displaying public affection. I think [it's] great. Spread more love in the world." When asked if she would maintain the same opinion if she saw our male couple being affectionate, she sang a slightly different tune.

"I think if I saw two males doing the same thing, I might have a slightly different reaction. I might not think it was as cute or charming." It seems that people who were strolling through Verona Park during the filming of the social experiment were either indifferent to, in support of, or slightly bothered by the PDA they witnessed. There were no extreme reactions. A topic that did come up repeatedly was children. "I don't really find it inappropriate, especially during the day when schoolchildren aren't running around. They might get confused and want an answer for what's going on," bystander Mary-Kate told us. The majority of the people who spoke about children seemed to echo Mary-Kate's feelings. They are indifferent to gay PDA but did not want to, or know how to, address homosexuality with children.

And then there was Kristin Kenneavy, who said, "I would actually want our kids to grow up in a place where they would see various types of people engaging in behaviors that [are] loving. As I walk by, I'm thinking 'Oh, that's sweet,' you know, that people are in love. I would have absolutely not a problem with our children seeing something like that."

Birmingham Officer: 'Just Don't Do That in Public'

There weren't many children who saw the couples showing affection in Birmingham, but there were plenty of adults who did.

Instead of a public park, ABC News brought the couples to a bench in the popular Five-Points section of Birmingham. During the two days of filming, hundreds of people walked by and noticed the couples. A police officer even arrived at the scene after a woman called 911 because she saw Kaolin and James kissing each other in public.

ABC News obtained a copy of her call:

Operator: "Birmingham Police operator 9283"

Caller: "We have a couple of men sitting out on the bench that have been kissing and drooling all over each other for the past hour or so. It's not against the law, right?"

Operator: "Not to the best of my knowledge it's not."

Caller: "So there's no complaint I could make or have?"

Operator: "I imagine you could complain if you like ma'am. We can always send an officer down there."

And they did. One of Birmingham's finest came to Five-Points and spoke with Kaolin and James. Though city officials and the police department signed off on ABC's social experiment, this officer was somehow not in the loop. The officer told our couple that the police dispatch received a call because the two of them were making out.

"Just don't do that in public," he told them before leaving the scene.

It wasn't long before a local Fox news station was reporting that "a national television show was spying on Birmingham."

As in New Jersey, ABC News received various opinions about gay PDA, and PDA in general, from the residents of Birmingham. It quickly became clear that there is no set regional opinion. The feelings and opinions of people are as varied as the individuals who express them.

Delores Spraggins of Birmingham and her daughter June seemed to speak for the majority in both the red and the blue state. "There is a lot of hatred in the world. Love is good wherever you can find it," Spraggins said.

Leslie, one half of the lesbian couple, explained to ABC News that she was glad to participate in the social experiment because of the greater good.

"We are very proud of our relationship. We don't hide our love. We hope we can inspire people to just love each other and accept loving each other."

When we asked her wife, Ashby, how she felt about the police being called to the scene after a woman reported Kaolin and James for PDA, she responded with a big smile on her face.

"If 911 calls are because two guys are kissing and holding hands on a bench, that's great news! I mean, there's not much real crime happening if 911 calls are placed because two guys are kissing every once in a while. And that is awesome!"

[1_londoner]

ABC News obtained a copy of her call:

Operator: "Birmingham Police operator 9283"

Caller: "We have a couple of men sitting out on the bench that have been kissing and drooling all over each other for the past hour or so. It's not against the law, right?"

Operator: "Not to the best of my knowledge it's not."

Caller: "So there's no complaint I could make or have?"

Operator: "I imagine you could complain if you like ma'am. We can always send an officer down there

Good 1

[Enlightened~Sista]

The article is a bunch of doo doo.

people in this day and age are bullied so much so that they can't even reveal what they really think or belief.

the 'fact' that there were hardly any extreme reaction is proof that the article is BS.

[Basra-]

[quote="Enlightened~Sista"]The article is a bunch of doo doo.

people in this day and age are bullied so much so that they can't even reveal what they really think or belief.

the 'fact' that there were hardly any extreme reaction is proof that the article is BS.[/quote]


enlightened sista-- in what facit do u consider yourself 'enlightened'?? I mean, from what i understand the term is used to describe educated, open minded liberals. You are none of these mentioned, so i am just a little puzzled?






To the topic....


I think --religiously speaking - the act of public & private homosexuality is wrong, but realistically speaking--- its none of my business.

[Htologist]

Of course Basra- I know this is touche subject, but you must stay calm and be proud of your "Bisexuality" as everyone in this forum knows by now that you hate us men! What a unique sexual orientation

[Basra-]

Htologist Who said i hate men???? I resent that concesus, its judgemental, incorrect, igregious and not to mention some what true. But i am not hating 100%,l have my days and moments. I love men, i think men are a brilliant specie.I mean REAL, masculine, heart throbbing men.Men who ooze pure, natural, undiluted manliness. Men who exude violent testosterones, men whose prospect can be felt by the largeness of their hands, the roughness of their deep voice, the machoness of their walk and that disarming dangerous smile of a real man. I love men, i hate, idiots who pass off as 'men'

[Htologist]

Well Basra- I got that "Men who ooze pure, natural, undiluted manliness Hmmmm.. " just for you!

[Enlightened~Sista]

enlightened sista-- in what facit do u consider yourself 'enlightened'?? I mean, from what i understand the term is used to describe educated, open minded liberals. You are none of these mentioned, so i am just a little puzzled?
To the topic....


I think --religiously speaking - the act of public & private homosexuality is wrong, but realistically speaking--- its none of my business.

I'm enlightened in a spiritual/cultural sense. What's enlightened about forcing people to agree with you, your beliefs , your way of life in the name of 'democracy'? I hate lies and theres something not quite right about this article...but if you want to be a sheep and believe everything go ahead walaal ..noones stopping you.

I agree with you last statement. As the somali maah maah goes ' a mad person doesnt lack wisdom'

[Enlightened~Sista]

. posted twice sorry.

[Gifted]

Eww that is gay!!

[Basra-]

'Enlightened' sista

No one is forcing you with their ideas, i think you are the one forcing people with your ideas.Democracy is for all not just a few! The gays have a right to be open with their affections just like the heteros! My policy is--its none of my busines. If i see gay couple kissing in the street, i will privately disgusted yes, but i wont show it. I will smile at them and move on! Thats minding your business, that NOT forcing your views on people! But if u demand them to get a room or be shot-- then thats forcing them your ideology, which is pretty fascist and retarded.






'I'm enlightened in a spiritual/cultural sense'



I am sorry allow me a moment to laugh at this statement!

[Enlightened~Sista]

lol the most you can do is laugh ofcourse you will never understand what i meant by that..sometimes its not good to spill whats on your mind