The Great Nationwide Kiss-In: “Kissing is Okay, No Matter Who Does It.” was originally published on City Desk on August 14, 2009 at 5:16 pm.
The Great Nationwide Kiss-In – in support not just of public displays of affection but, more specifically, same-sex couples engaging in public displays of affection – takes place Saturday afternoon in cities all across the country, including D.C.
The event is being organized by two gay-rights bloggers – David Badash and David Mailloux – in cooperation with Join the Impact, a gay rights organization, after three separate incidents involving same-sex couples that were “harassed or detained by law enforcement or other people for the simple act of kissing in a public place” in San Antonio, El Paso, and Salt Lake City.
There are events planned for two of those three cities (none for El Paso) and scores of others. But the Kiss-in has even gone international: Two Canadian cities, Edmonton and Toronto, have scheduled official events, as has the island of Saipan (part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.)
The local Kiss-in takes place at 2 p.m. (it lasts just five minutes) on the National Mall between Third and Fourth Streets. From the D.C. Kiss-in’s Facebook page:
In cities and towns all over the country, we hope to bring together both gay and straight couples to produce a strong message to people all over the United States of America: kissing is okay, no matter who does it, no matter where they do it. It is not illegal or vulgar or inappropriate. It is a beautiful sign of affection between two people that is as old as time itself. And it will happen between couples for as long as we are all alive.
Not everyone is into the beautiful sign of affection between two people that is as old as time itself -- at least if it involves two gay people. The Illinois Family Institute, a nonprofit ministry “dedicated to upholding and reaffirming marriage, family, life and liberty” is circulating a list of official venues, warning parents, in red letters and with stars and exclamation points, to stay away.
