Men holding hands in the Street

[girlfriend44]

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?

I’m so sorry to hear this…

Honestly just when I thought the cringe factor was maxed out, you dial it up a notch with ‘I told my truth’. He only person you’re showing up is yourself with your mental posts. Gay people most definitely aren’t all lovely and fluffy and kind and amazing. Guess what? They’re really people, like the rest of us.

I know what you mean OP, it's not something you see often where I live in NI either. In fact, just the other day I walked past two student-aged guys having a kiss and cuddle goodbye, and it struck me how unusual it is to see. I was both happy to see it and sad to have noticed. And reminded of many goodbyes DH and I had at that age, some on that very road.

Completely agree with the "I don't see colour" comparison.

Doubtful

@IDreamOfTheMoors

There's evidently an opportunity to learn here, but you're absolutely determined not to take it. Being so bloody-mindedly wedded to your 'truth' is stopping you from listening to anyone.

That never works, you must know that.

Someone please google Northern Ireland 😂😂😂

I see gay couples holding hands quite often. Never noticed anyone giving them a second glance. Maybe some areas it's less usual?

I have never seen this in my rural home village - women yes, but never men.

If OP has never seen it before in her particular area, then yes they were definitely brave.

This your first time? It's been fairly normal for years surely?

@IDreamOfTheMoors
just the fact you speak about “them”, as in, as if “they” are a monolith……………

😂😂😂

I live in a pretty cosmopolitan area but we have local scum who still throw insults in the street when they seen same sex couples out and about let alone holding hands.

I can honestly say I’ve never seen a male gay couple walking along holding hands. From the responses here saying it’s normal, it’s everywhere - I’d disagree - it’s definitely something that should be normal but there’s obviously still a lot of places where it’s not so.

I too feel sad that gay couples feel they can’t show their affection the same way that straight couples can. It really saddens me that in 2022 there’s still so much prejudice.

It depends where you live but totally normal sight in most places I've lived in the last 15 years. I live in a little village now and even the vicar is gay. I'm glad things are moving in the right direction (in the UK anyway)

Well, well, well - if we don’t have the double standard here.
My brother is gay too, and has a lovely husband, which is how I became involved the LGBTQ+ Alliance.
Nothng like supposition, I always say to people who people who “suppose” things about me that are 5000 miles from reality.
Just because I learned positive and lovely things from someone and thus grew as a person, does not make me want to turn them into saints.
But you knew that, amirite?

I've never seen this either, but then I don't really notice things that much when I'm out in town
Good for them though.

Sadly it's not something you see much of in the North East. My daughter would avoid showing affection for her girlfriend when out, as there are just too many idiots about. It is still a brave thing to do around here. Sad but true.

It wouldn't bother me in the least but then I have a good (male) friend who is gay and work with several people, male and female, who are gay.

I honestly couldn't care less who has relations with who.

All that said, sadly, I know a lot of people who don't feel this way 😥

We have come a long way as a society but there is still a long way to go.

I get where you’re coming from, OP. It IS brave for a gay couple to walk hand and hand, as previous posts have confirmed with stories of gay couples being attacked. Homophobia is still very much around, and the ones who think it isn’t, we’ll, they are the problem.
Honestly, I think some folks just like to be the first to jump in and shout YABU!

@User8273738273737

You’re being silly, when you absolutely know - or should - that I’m speaking of my friends.
You’re going to have to try a little harder if you want to join the club-of-the-day, dear.
Ths was an altogether disappointing challenge.

I don't think that's fair. DS's boyfriend always makes a show of holding hands if we are out somewhere conventional (like a flower show or NT house) People stare in quite open shock, if not disgust. They've not - yet - had any aggression, but I recognise what OP is saying about it being brave. It shouldn't make anyone notice. It shouldn't look or feel any different from walking past a heterosexual couple holding hands, but i've seen the expressions on faces and it clearly does for way too many people still.

The only way past this is for same-sex couples to continue to show natural affection in public, until the starers stop thinking it's a big deal. But until then, it's a pretty brave thing to do.

I also agree. Yes, I do see same sex couples holding hands in the street occasionally but not as much as heterosexual couples. I think because straight people are not affected personally by this we assume that it's the norm when it isn't. People do still live in fear.

gcn.ie/gay-couple-in-brutal-street-attack-edinburgh/

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/edinburgh-crime-news-ukrainian-refugee-left-sick-and-scared-after-reporting-a-homophobic-attack-in-newington-area-3753000

And here's the homophobic attacks from cool and liberal Edinburgh.

This.