Sshh! Same-sex hand holding on the last Saturday of every month
A new international organisation called A Day in Hand which seeks to raise LGBT visibility by encouraging same-sex hand holding in public has announced its first international hand holding day for Saturday 26th September 2009.
The campaign to hold monthly gay hand-holding days, called Sshh! (same-sex hand holding) encourages LGBT people to publicly hold hands with other people of the same sex on the last Saturday of every month.
“If you want to live in a world where you can hold your partner’s hand walking down the street, hold your partner’s hand walking down the street.”
To take part here’s what you need to do:
1 Go out on the last Saturday of the month
2 Hold hands with someone of the same sex
That’s it! If you can take a photo of yourselves holding hands in public and send it in to the A Day in Hand website, then that’s even better.
The founder of A Day in Hand, Dave Watkins, says on the website:
“Same-sex hand holding (Sshh!) is a silent revolution for LGBT people, because nothing needs to be said: no bold speeches, no reactive arguments, no war of words. Each LGBT person has the power to change the hearts and minds of people in their local community quietly, subtly, by simply holding hands publicly and owning their space. However, hand holding is a simple powerful gesture that can happen anywhere, at any time.”
Hold hands for LGBT awareness
However, Watkins stresses that he doesn’t want people to put themselves at risk by holding hands in public, so if you live in a dodgy area, or in a country where such activity would be dangerous, obviously don’t do it!
We’re not asking people to ignore survival instincts that say “this is not safe, I shouldn’t be doing this”.
Instead Watkins suggests that you send in messages of support to their website.
Mothership Blog says: We support this campaign - homophobia is still prevalent in society, even in the UK, and raising awareness and countering ignorance by such a highly visible, and peaceful mass act of affection is a great way promote LGBT equality.
By staff writer
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Related posts:
Stop homophobic bullying - Stonewall back to school campaign
Alan Turing petition
Gay teenage suicides - death by homophobia
Tatchell and Summerskill clash over Equality Bill
Hot gay guys
Gay penguins
What do you think about public hand-holding? Pass the sick bucket, or about time? Please comment below:
