Holding Hands?

[wallyb]

On a side note...the official paper for the company just ran an article on how the wedding pavalion was celebrating 15 years, and one of the pics was of two guys holding hands in front of the pavalion!

NICE!

 

[Timrobb]

we just returned from an amazing 10 day trip. we wore anniversary pins (15 years!!). We were congratulated not only by CMs but also by visitors (our favorite was a little old lady who was so darn cute about the whole thing!).

As for holding hands . . .we didn't see too many couples (gay or straight) holding hands . . .could be do to the fact that it was 100000000 degrees -!

But, the hot weather did make for more "eye candy" at the pools!

 

[gmi3804]

15 years is great - Congrats to you too!

We had Anniversary Buttons last year, and wore them on The Day. Lots of friendly wishes from CMs and guests alike. Disney's a great place to celebrate, lots of nice restaurants to have special meals. We did a Signature almost every night last year; we'd upgraded our Free Dining to Deluxe Dining.

 

[dalt01]

i have always tried to live by this.................you paddle your canoe and i will paddle mine.............i actually get more upset with a 3/4 naked 15 year old girls parents. i want to walk up and ask them when they gave up. and tell them its not to late to do their job.

 

[paulasillars]

I don't care if people hold hands, peck on the cheek etc but as for anything more, if you wouldn't do it in front of your parents/children then its not appropriate regardless of your gender(s).

I think there are a lot worse things you could see when out in public than a sign of affection - swearing, drunken behaviour and inappropriate clothing bothers me more. (At home, of course I swear like a trooper but not in public.)

I did like the discussions about being called "Sir" - my Mum has had that a few times when we have been in the US - she has short hair and doesn't typically colour it. She has found it very offensive so I've at least been able to tell her its not just her.

It'll be interesting on our next trip as I have very short hair at the moment (shaved it off for cancer fund raising) so I'll see how feminine people think I am - I do tend to wear "girly" colours so that might help. Its not an issue here as we don't tend to refer to people as "Sir/Ma'am" - its a simple, Yes, No without the extras etc. Safer that way I guess

And in terms of using the correct bathrooms - heck, haven't most of us gals used the men's room when the line for the ladies has been too long? I have on more times than I'd care to admit.

 

[Rememberingthe70s]

On a side note...the official paper for the company just ran an article on how the wedding pavalion was celebrating 15 years, and one of the pics was of two guys holding hands in front of the pavalion!

Awesome!

 

[Clare]

It looks like you've heard from several other straight Moms, but I wanted to weigh in as well...

I have no problem with appropriate PDAs from any couple. My 6-year-old very inquisitive daughter is way more likely to comment on a man and woman making out or a teenager in an inappropriate outfit than on a gay couple holding hands or linking arms or sharing a quick kiss.

In fact, having been raised around very affectionate people, I highly doubt it would even occur to her to notice that the couple was gay.

People showing affection wouldn't shock her; people with their tongues intertwined would.

 

[SixUnderSix]

I'm another "not your target audience" poster. I'm a mom to three children (ages 3, 4, and just turned 6) and a foster mom to two more. I would completely not think twice about you and your DW holding hands in public. I agree with others that I don't appreciate it when people go CRAZY with the PDA in public (gay, straight, or anything else) and the ONLY comment you'd get from me might be toward my kiddos as I explained to them (with a concrete visual example) the message that all families are different but all are valuable and special (a message that we work on all the time but sometimes lack real-life examples in Oklahoma...lol). I say go for it....I appreciate the rights I have to hold my husband's hand in public and be affectionate with him and believe EVERYONE should have that right (even if their personal beliefs, lifestyles, etc. differ from my own).

 

[fairlygay]

Hubby and I have visited WDW 3 times. Hubby is a touchy feely guy and I a bit older sometimes find it ackward. When he naturally reached for my hand(which he does often) I was the one who felt like we should not. I was the one who was giving glances at anyone who dared look our way. It took me awhile to realize nobody gave a hoot. So now we are planning our 4th trip in Dec. and I hope to be the first to reach for hubby's hand to hold.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

In the last two weeks, I've revised my thinking about PDA. Quick kisses are now permitted. Who knows, it could save a kid's life.

Yep.

 

[Rememberingthe70s]

In the last two weeks, I've revised my thinking about PDA. Quick kisses are now permitted. Who knows, it could save a kid's life.

Yep.

Agreed. I had much the same position - not much of a PDAer, but perhaps that needs to change. I'm playing (piano) for a memorial tomorrow night.

And if I am not mistaken, your photo comes from the original production, as opposed to the film. Bravo!

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Agreed. I had much the same position - not much of a PDAer, but perhaps that needs to change. I'm playing (piano) for a memorial tomorrow night.

I'm of the same mind, and I know it will be difficult at first to change but it really is for the best. Anything to redefine "normal". I'm so sorry to read that there have to be memorials at all, but I'm happy you'll be lending your musical gifts.

And if I am not mistaken, your photo comes from the original production, as opposed to the film. Bravo!

Babs? I know it looks similar to Funny Girl, but that's a close-up from I Can Get It From You Wholesale. Really, the difference between the two is, well.. Barbra playing Barbra and then Barbra playing.... Barbra.

 

[Rememberingthe70s]

I'm of the same mind, and I know it will be difficult at first to change but it really is for the best. Anything to redefine "normal". I'm so sorry to read that there have to be memorials at all, but I'm happy you'll be lending your musical gifts.



Babs? I know it looks similar to Funny Girl, but that's a close-up from I Can Get It From You Wholesale. Really, the difference between the two is, well.. Barbra playing Barbra and then Barbra playing.... Barbra.

"The New Normal" - Maybe that will be a good thing.

Babs - Dammit! That sailor collar got me!!! I was going by age!

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

"The New Normal" - Maybe that will be a good thing.

Babs - Dammit! That sailor collar got me!!! I was going by age!

I'm convinced that in the early '60s, she wore the sailor suit EVERYWHERE. And what a good look, too.

 

[DVCajun]

Re: holding hands at WDW, my wife and I are pretty conservative about pda typically, but we consider WDW to be "ours," and as such we give ourselves permission to be more free to be ourselves. This, for us, means we hold hands whenever we feel like it, and we occasionally indulge in a hug and a quick peck on the cheek or mouth. Never in a million years would we go further than that in public ..... but neither should anyone else imo.

We've never had a negative reaction from anyone.

 

[ngvenice]

wow first of all never even noticed there was a gay/lesbian forum, just killing time on the DIS boards and wandered over.

I myself have no problem w/ this. I have two children 9 & 13 and try to teach them acceptance of everyone. I live in the great state of TX and often not so easy because of all their conservative views. I hope that one day we get to look back at a time when two guys or two girls holding hands and people getting all worked up about it as prehistoric you know kind of like when I read about bi racial marriages and wonder how could anyone see anything wrong in that.

 

[OKW Lover]

DP and I usually link arms if we have contact in public.

When we don't do that we walk separately, not due to discomfort or lack of acceptance. Merely the fact that he rarely takes ten steps without finding something shiny to go looking at and can't walk in a straight line.

Todd,
Either Val or I would be happy to link arms with you walking around WDW. Hope DP won't mind.

As far as the part about finding something shiny to go looking at goes, you mean that shiny (or glittery) thing isn't you?

...and the part about not walking a straight line. Well, there's just too many jokes there.

Don't worry folks, my wife and I know Todd pretty well and these are all jokes (except the part about walking around with linked arms).

As far as the actual topic of this thread goes, It wouldn't bother us. But then, we have a grandson with two moms so we're pretty cool with it anyway. We're often saddened that they don't feel free to walk around holding hands, even in P-Town. It just so unfair that Val & I can (and usually do) walk around holding hands without a second look, but Connor's moms can't.

 

[Jessica14]

Okay, first off, full disclaimer. I'm a happily married straight female.

That said: I think there should be MORE gay PDA. I have a very good reason for this.

Out of all the small children who will see two girls or two boys kissing there will be some who will grow up to be GLBT and all the others will know someone who is GLBT. If kids (and everyone for that matter) are exposed to affectionate gay couples and it is considered just as normal for two men or two women to smooch in public as it is for a man and a woman to smooch in public, those kids will internalize that perception. If those kids internalize that perception those kids will either grow up to be non-homophobic or may just be more accepting of themselves when they become teenagers and suddenly (gasp!) understand in a cogent manner that they are attracted to people of the same sex.

As a former HS teacher, I dream of the day when gay teenagers have the same percentages of suicides and depression as their straight peers, and I honestly think that having same sex PDA accepted on the same standing as straight PDA, as well as knowing family, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, cashiers, shoe salesmen, accountants and fire fighters who are somewhere in the GLBT spectrum is the only way that will happen.

I am with you on this totally! I'm also a straight married woman. I too believe that exposing my kids to people different from us is important. I have always spoken about a woman's wife or a man's husband or boyfriend as you would anyone's partner. I don't know what they will discover about themselves in years to come so why would I ever indicated that any kind of love is wrong.

Both of our children are adopted from China so our family doesn't match your "typical" family either. I really like to see other kinds of families. It's what makes this world interesting.

BTW, I also hang out here since it is sooo much more calm then some of the other boards! Not nasty at all and more to my beliefs as well!
Jessica

 

[DVCDan36]

Sort of!

I've often wondered if rights and acceptance were given to the GLBT community if the need to be more "out" would subside. And what I mean is that recently a politician made the comment that pride parades were over the top. But do you think that the need to be over the top and flashy has more to do with who we are or with that fact that this is attention getting.
Obviously with acceptance and rights we wouldn't need "We're here, we're queer, get used to it" mentality.
But of course, I think about the ones that live for that once a year pride parade and would be crushed if they couldn't glitter their naked torsos any more.

 

[OrlandoMike]

I think we gain more ground by buying a house, moving in, and showing them that we are just the same as them...

We get up, go to work, mow the lawn, grill dinner....

Yep, we are just as boring as you!