Pop! Quiz: Would you participate in the Starbucks "Gay Kiss-In"?

Having participated in a LOT of Kiss Ins as a Lesbian Avenger in NYC (in some not-so-friendly neighborhoods) I can say that something as simple as two women or two men kissing can be a very effective visual demonstration of the "we are everywhere and just like you and love is love" type of message.

I think particularly regarding men, folks love "their gays" but don't always want to "see it". That's crap. Two boys, buying coffee who are happy in love and share a quick kiss is a beautiful thing and people need to Get Used To It.

We can't complain about fictional characters on a daily soap not kissing enough or being affectionate enough if we in the real world aren't willing to make the road by walking. An really, I can't think of a less threatening place for a kiss in.

I think as long as it's well organized and folks keep it "clean", it's a lovely way to say hey, "We're tax paying citizens, productive human beings and lovers of coffee who like to fall in love and make out and be ourselves and laws should not discrimnate against our desire to form civilly recognized/sanctioned relationships" (or whatever)

The response may not always be "positive" but gay people have to come out, be out and not be afraid to be seen if we want straight folks to accept us as a normal and regular part of all communities, just like them.

Why stop at Starbucks stores? How bout Targets? Don't they all have Starbucks coffee cafes? Duncan Donuts?! Costco?!

Simple and anyone can do it.

"Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common." (Dorothy Parker)

I'm all for visibility, and were I not perpetually single, I'd make a point of (polite, not overdone and gross, gay/straight there are limits to PDA) public affection.  I just question how something this loose can have an impact.  If you want to say "converge on Stabucks at 5th & Main at 4:35pm" for a kiss-in, then yes, that's a demonstration.  Random kisses in random Starbucks aren't something that people notice - one couple in a Starbucks on Connecticutt Avenue is a random couple, not a demonstration or protest, and very easily dismissed by the public.

I'm all for visibility, that's how the battle is won.  I just don't see how this gives us anything that gets noticed.  It's not a flashmob, it's geographically dispersed series of hard to connect occurrences. 

this doesn't sound like a very....effective....demonstration or whatever.

plus, a quick kiss? what does that show? "oh look, i can quickly kiss my partner!" - - when i think of something like a kiss-in, i am thinking maybe like 10 minutes of just plain kissing and not just with one couple...with many couples there....

but i'm not even for this idea no matter how it goes. everyone knows we kiss. we're not fighting for the right to kiss. (if we are, someone can correct me)

kissing doesn't prove jack. it only proves that we can kiss our loved ones too.

i'm not going to pretend i know what WILL work, but i don't think this is it.

We staged a kiss-in at my school to kick off Queer Equality Week on campus. While there were some people who did the whole "I'm gonna pretend not to see you" thing, the usual reaction was that people just didn't care...and that's great!! The fact that not many people were shocked to see a bunch of same-sex couples kissing just showed me that my University is (for the most part) pretty damn progressive.

I agree with the comments above that quick kisses at random locations may not be that effective. They should at least hold signs or something. It would be really interesting if they staged a kiss marathon (ie kiss your partner for as long as you can). That would certainly grab people's attention.

But yeah, hope the event goes well, wonder if they're doing it in Canada too... 

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I may be straight, but I'm not narrow.

But we are fighting for the right to kiss. We are fighting for the right to kiss, hold hands, walk with our arms around each other, be free and open and as easy and overt with our sexuality as any other citizen.

If you really think that a gay couple who kisses each other in public isn't a big deal, maybe this site needs to revisit the investiation 20/20 did on gay couples and PDA where someone actually Called The Police because a gay couple was just sitting on a bench kissing (and not in some graphic inappropriate way.)

Being visible and coming out and letting folks who are unused to it Get Used To seeing gay folks act just like other folks in love is a Real and Significant part of gaining equal rights.

People will never think of us as equal if we don't ACT like we are equal and normal and have just as much right to be coupley in public as anyone else.

Critical mass is good for some kinds of demos but not always necessary. It's not about being an exhibitionist. It's about not acting like we are ashamed to be open in public.

Seeing two gay men kiss sweetly is a lot different than knowing that gay men have sex with each other and I would bet you that the majority of the straight american public DON'T see a gay couple in their town showing affection (even if they do see "it" on tv or in films)

If visibility doesn't change "jack" then folks need to stop marching and having pride parades and holding demonstrations because each of those acts is sympolic and clearly won't change anything either.

This is about making the fight for civil rights for gay folks REAL, it's about making "the gays" REAL in the eyes of folks in their own communities.

Activism requires multiple strategies on multiple levels with different levels of intensity, risk and different goals.

It's not always about legislation, court battles, ballot initiatives and marches on DC.

There will be people who respond negatively and whip out their homophobic bible versus and threaten to boycott Starbucks. WHATEVER for them! Let them churn themselves into butter with their illconceived ire.

Why stop at Starbucks?  Take it to the IRS office cue.

"Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common." (Dorothy Parker)

If I spot a girl on her own there, I'll ask if she wants to be part of a good cause. 8D

Before 9/11, when we could accompany people to the gate at the airport, I would drop my then boyfriend off, and when he was preparing to go down the jetway to the plane, we'd always kiss. Always, and didn't even think about it. Nobody said anything, the world didn't end, but people saw it. It was the ultimate random quick kiss that, I suspect, made an impact on some people.

This all seems like a big ole sales booster for Starbucks and their over-priced lattes.  Sure, one of the most gay-inclusive companies is advocating gay customers to kiss in their store, would like to add a shot of espresso to that?  How about a bag of coffee?  No?  Then maybe a scone?  Its like Wal-Mart advocating White Trash Pride Day.  Now if they had a same sex kissing day at the DMV, that would be interesting!