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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Men holding hands in the Street

537 replies

girlfriend44 · 20/08/2022 20:00

Saw two men walking along hand in hand earlier and I admired their bravery and thought hope nobody starts on them.
Have seen women before but not men?
Do you think they were brave. Would you be scared for them if they were your sons?
Brave men. Perhaps it's something we will see more of in the future?

OP posts:
YDBear · 21/08/2022 18:01

I wouldn’t even have noticed it. But then I do live in Soho so…

Isitsixoclockalready · 21/08/2022 18:02

Baffled as to why people were having a go at the OP. Sadly there are still areas where ignorance exists - it is wrong and it shouldn't happen but it does. It does take brave people to take a stand.

fuzzywuzzywombat · 21/08/2022 18:06

I hope this should be a normal activity, it is in my mind X
i see your point that there are horrible people in the world that might object, but you shouldn't have to live in fear

Bunpea · 21/08/2022 18:10

Confused by the voting. ☹️

Westfacing · 21/08/2022 18:13

I live in London and have only seen men holding hands a couple of times - on the King's Road and all young men.

I expect most gay couples just want a quiet life, and even though it's 2022 it was brave of them.

Bleachmycloths · 21/08/2022 18:27

No big deal but I understand gay people who have to choose where they hold hands, eat out, go on holiday etc. Unfortunately, there are areas where they would be jeered, accosted or attacked. Those areas are probably best avoided by everyone!
And, posters, please do not twist OP’s words. I know what she means and she is not being nasty.

VioletInsolence · 21/08/2022 18:34

The op isn’t asking whether we would care about the hand holding but whether we’d be worried for the boys.

Yes I would be very worried and think there’s some naivety here if people think it’s a completely safe thing to do. I don’t see men holding hands and I live in a middle class, liberal city so I imagine most gay couples don’t think it’s safe either.

speakout · 21/08/2022 18:35

Westfacing · 21/08/2022 18:13

I live in London and have only seen men holding hands a couple of times - on the King's Road and all young men.

I expect most gay couples just want a quiet life, and even though it's 2022 it was brave of them.

I don;'t live in London, but I see loads of same sex couples holding hands. It warms my heart to see couples walk without harassment in my city.

Daisy03 · 21/08/2022 18:37

I'd also point out for those saying it's perfectly accepted in London it really depends what part you're in as it's a very wide diverse place. Soho yes, areas like tower hamlets not so much.

threatmatrix · 21/08/2022 18:41

I wouldn’t have thought anything to be honest.

seashellsontheshore · 21/08/2022 18:43

On one side of where I live very open, accepting of everyone, vegan cafes, young to early 70s, young families, grow your own veg types on the other side a definite no to being openly gay and that side has a very long way to go before it becomes normal...sad really, people are just people at the end of the day but that side of town is a no go for anyone progressive.

NovaDeltas · 21/08/2022 18:43

It's 2022, what on earth made you post this? It was old hat in the 90s!

Mary54 · 21/08/2022 18:45

See it fairly regularly here. Was slightly taken by surprise the first time I saw two men kissing in the street but was 20+ years ago

Misty78 · 21/08/2022 18:45

If you think it's 2022 it's acceptable your so wrong, there's still a lot of homophobia around. My daughter and her wife have experienced it, so did me my girlfriend and my son. we were going to pride (wearing rainbow tops) one year and a kid of around 14 started shouting pride faggots, my son was really upset over it and couldn't understand why he was being so nasty, so yes they're brave, unfortunately homophobia seems to be getting passed on through generations, it would be lovely to be able to just walk around holding hands without that worry

Jynxed · 21/08/2022 18:49

I am more shocked that some people are shocked! Of course it’s fine . It’s great!!!

Jack80 · 21/08/2022 18:54

Daft that guy people have to hide hand holding and kissing in the street because of bigoted people.

Daffi · 21/08/2022 19:01

I live in Brighton and Hove, it's the norm

Daffi · 21/08/2022 19:02

Which backward Norther Town do you live in

mussymummy · 21/08/2022 19:05

Personaly I would bat an eye but internally think go you. I live in a very very gat friendly city but I do think it depends on where u live. A dear friend of my who lives in a more backwards area was recently battered for walking down the street holding her gf hand x I really wish we lived in a world where it did not fucking matter who you held hands with

mussymummy · 21/08/2022 19:06

Would not bat an eye would NOT

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 21/08/2022 19:08

Well, that's the police for you today, it's tough out there you know.

SuperBlondie28 · 21/08/2022 19:17

My mother moved to Blackpool area back in 2007. We live 130 miles away. My daughter, born in 2000, saw plenty of people of the same sex handing hands, feminine sounding men, manly looking women, oddly dressed folks. Anything goes there. 😂 Nothing phases her now. And yet, small posh villages around where we live in Derbyshire, you'd hardly have seen 'queer' people back in 2007 or even later.

Spaceshiphaslanded · 21/08/2022 19:19

Sorry did I fall down a time wrap…

Ddot · 21/08/2022 19:23

depends on the area I suppose, a couple were deliberately ran over near me one killed one knackered for life. He mounted the path to get them.

qtpa2t · 21/08/2022 19:24

I think I like to believe that we live in a world where no they don't have to be brave to do that and it's 2022 etc... but I know the reality is, that even though it's accepted i the mainstream now, there are individuals who are hateful, toxic and sick. Yes, most people now are somewhere between neutral and actively supportive, but there was a murder in tower hamlets cemetery park last year where a gay man was followed and murdered by a homophobic monster.