h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just thought I'd ask if people held their partner's hand in public like heteros do. If you do, then where do you do it? If you don't then do tell us why.

I've not had a *proper* partner but don't think I'd feel comfortable holding hands in public - it'd feel too much like I was doing it to make a point. I'm willing to be proved wrong though .

I've done it, well, anywhere we were really but its kinda probably not so 'obvious' when I do it I guess

I tend to hold hands with friends as well as boyfriends and there's not much difference between the two in my eyes. The other night I was coming back from watching a film with a gay mate and we held hands and hugged, just along the street. Didn't do it to make a point, we just felt a need for that sort of human contact. No doubt some people thought he was my boyfriend, I don't really care.

I've done exactly the same with a female best friend, we'd watched a film, she was upset and so we held hands and hugged, it made her feel better. No doubt some people thought she was my girlfriend, I don't really care.

With actual boyfriends, I'm much the same. I don't do it to make a point, I do it because I want the contact. If anyone challenges me over it then woe betide them because I will make a point and possibly a scene but it's not happened so far

what town/city do you \live in where you feel able to do that?

More or less everywhere I go. I've held a friend's hand in a rural part of Northern Ireland which is supposed to be a big no-no but no-one even raised an eyebrow. I just don't think of there being anything strange about holding hands with people in public and if people have made snide comments I've probably not even noticed

Good for you and I respect you for doing it.

I will hold my partners hand wherever I am. I figure that if its 'exceptable' for a hetrosexual couple to publicly display their love and affection.... and believe me, I've seen it to a degree where there were almost 30 of us at a conception - EUGH!!!!! then why shouldn't I... hold hands or kiss my partner, not have full blown sex in the town centre.... I dont see it as any different, if you love someone and wnat to hold their hand or wrap your arm around their waist, then go for it. Just so long as everyone remembers that it is a public place and no one really wants to see people getting it on while they eat their lunch..... if you do, then Im sure theres club for all that... dont do it in McDonalds!

Love's love at the end of the day and in a world with so much then anyone who finds that bit of happiness should be celebrated not shunned, Im not asking anyone to accept me, they either put up with it or not. They dont have to agree but they should understand that every day of our lives, we're forced to have 'straight' couples throwing their love and affections in our faces and god forbid we say anything so I figure if its good for the goose... so to speak.

Wow, that was more of a rant and scream out than I intended!

Well wel get hetero life thrust at us 24/7, wheter it be on the street, on TV, in a magazine/newspaper at the ebst of times so I agree with your rant.

Good for you for being yourselves. Am not sure if I'd dare to it in the city I live in.

Sorry, I tend to get a bit ranty without meaning to!

Where is it you live?

Leeds

Leeds? My best friend used to live there, she was student at leeds uni, we were goig to go to a gay bar and try to pick up guys/gals, but they wouldn't let us in probably because we were holding hands actually

I've done it before with b/f's in Manchester - not with anyone else, although in principle I could hold a male friend's hand as well. I have also kissed a b/f in public as well ... no major reactions from anyone else for doing that, although I'm sure a couple of people must have stared. I do realise there's a sociological point for doing both of these things in public, but the main reason I do them is because I feel like it!

Which bar didn't elt you in?

This may sound odd but it was probably because they wanted to keep the venue gay and therefore trouble-free and allowing in mixed-sex couples isn't exactly the best way to keep a bar touble-free!

Can't remember what it was called, it was near-ish Clone Zone, a big glass fronted place. And yeah that's one reason I don't frequent the scene very much, I get enough crap off straight people without gay people joining in with the bigotry.

if it's the bar beginning with F then I am surprised cos that venue is now no longer a gay venue simply because they allowed heteros in. It's just another trendy bar which happens to be gay owned.

Also, the bar next to it where the entrance is down the courtyard is also kinda straightened out and one of my friends got homophobic abuse in there a couple of years ago. It had been gay since the early nineties.