Two gay rights bloggers have joined forces with the international grassroots LGBT organization, Join the Impact, to create “The Great Nationwide Kiss‐In,” to affirm the right of all couples – same‐sex and opposite sex – to publicly acknowledge their loved‐ones, with a kiss.In response to recent events in three different U.S. cities, where gay or lesbian couples have been harassed, and detained or arrested, for the simple act of kissing in a public space, David Badash (of The New Civil Rights Movement and The Bilerico Project), David Mailloux (of DYM SUM), and Willow Witte (Co‐Founder and Director of Join the Impact) have partnered on this first‐ever coast‐to‐coast “Kiss‐In.”
The Great Nationwide Kiss‐In will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 12 p.m., Mountain Time. Badash’s original vision for the event will have hundreds of couples – gay and straight – showing this simple, innocent form of affection for one another in popular public locations throughout the United States.
“Both gay and straight couples should be able to kiss whomever they like, wherever they like,” Badash said. “If you want to give your better‐half a kiss, or hold their hand while walking down the street, you should be able to, without fear of intimidation or incarceration. Lord knows, the world could use a lot more love, and a lot more people displaying acts of love, affection, and kindness.”
Gay activists and bloggers throughout the country, as well as couples arrested, have said that the recent incidents involving gay and lesbian couples kissing in San Antonio, and El Paso, TX, as well as Salt Lake City, UT were entirely related to their sexual orientation.
Soulforce in Colorado has taken the lead for organizing the Denver event with the location to be determined.
