Quote:
Originally Posted by CKBWoP
I had a "moment" this past Saturday at the Lingerie Football League game. I guess it never dawned on me before, but during a timeout or something of that sort, they did a "Kiss Cam" and made a statement about husbands grabbing your wives, etc etc etc. The heteronormativity of such a thing hadn't really struck me before, but I had spoken with a friend (who happens to be a lesbian) earlier in the day about going to the game with me and knew that there was a non-hetero contingent in the crowd.
I'm sure there are plenty of occurrences of this sort that go by unnoticed (by me), but I'm wondering if this is something that GLBT folks are bothered by a lot or if it's something that kinda slides off the back (not to say that it isn't troubling, but that it doesn't sink one into a major funk).
The only way that I can try to equivocate the feeling is to think of how often I hear something that's disparaging or presumptive regarding women or Asians and how that impacts me. While I've gotten "used to" idiotic assumptions about sex / race, I feel that I am a bit more sensitive when it comes to idiotic assumptions about sexual orientation.
Not really sure why that is.
Just throwing it out there because it's been on my mind since Saturday.
I'm sorry to just now be seeing this! Last time I tucked into this thread, it only had a couple pages. It's grown! So awesome.
Just wanted to comment on your post, CK, b/c you (as always! I love it!) raise some interesting points.
Personally, at this point in my life, I don't slide into a funk at not being able to snog the hell out of my belle during sports events. Honestly, it barely even registers anymore. When I was first coming out (waaaay back in the prehistoric era of the 90's), it would've totally been on my mind and pissed me off and hurt my feelings. As you note, and others point out in other responses, there are just on average way more straight people in attendance and so sweet, straight smooches are what we're gonna see. It's so nice, though, that people are even thinking about it, as you did that day! That's awesome.
That said, it's also not always safe for gay people to kiss in situations like that. Here in Texas, say at a Spurs basketball game for example, I would imagine that two feminine women kissing quickly for a "Kiss Cam" would be met with cheers and hoots of "appreciation." That kind of response would not be the same for two guys (or two really butch girls, I'd venture, sadly, to guess). Indeed, I'd bet a million bucks there would be complaints about such games being a "family" setting, etc, etc...Boochit all around, I say.
Thinking on this, though, led me to recall a recent situation involving former L Word actress, Leisha Hailey, and her incident of being
KICKED OFF A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT for kissing her girlfriend (you can read about it on Dorothy Snarker's Blog, and - for those interested - if you're a card carrying lesbo (like me!) and you're not checking her
blog out on the reg and following her on Twitter, you cray cray...but that's beside the point...)
All that to say, I guess, that the older I get, the more I just am...me. I'm gay. But I'm also a mom and a lawyer and a Call of Duty fanatic and a sister, daughter, geek. I totally want to mug down on my belle when and if the "Kissing Cam" next comes my way, but in the grand scheme of things, I'd much prefer that little license, entitled "Certificate of Marriage," that would afford us the same rights, privileges, and benefits (as well as all the obligations!) from the state, that my brother and his wife currently enjoy. Not even, necessarily because I want to "be married" (which, all my life, has just never been a real possibility, but which our daughter might surely appreciate), but because it is the right thing to do. In the end, I guess it's the same for the Kissing Cam? Inclusive Kissing Cams FTW!
I'm glad I dropped back in to see what's been going on 'round here. You guys some awesome folk.
Over and out for now...