Holding hands, fine ... but significant parts fondling, ass-grabbing, or face sucking is a definite public turnoff, no matter what the assortment of interlocking parts may be.

Nose may be legend , but ears?

No WAY!

Thank you Neurotica, I couldn't have said it better myself. I agree with you and feel it is something very important to stand up for. I agree that if you don't stand up, it's like condoning it also. So thank you again for standing up. :biggrin:

BTW, this is my first post, I've been lurking for a couple years.

Welcome, bluraven.

See, it may have seemed a little perverted at the time but posting didn't hurt at all did it? You'll find it gets easier each time you do it and after a very few times it'll seem like second nature and you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Personally, I second Wolf's welcome. :thumb:

RE Displaying affection in public:

There is a limit, be it hetrosexual or homosexual - and most of us learned it in our teens or 20s (depending) - probably the first time an older friend walked up and said "Enough - take it to a room, or stop..."

I hold BOTH groups to the same standard. Want to hold hands, hug, quickly kiss, etc - fine. You want to explore each others tonsils (or more), do it in private!

I understand why sometimes it seems that homosexuals SEEM to do more in public - it's partly the viewers shock, partly (often at parades/protests) it IS done to shock/get attention/get in your face - just like any other form of protest. I deal with it, and don't take my kids near protests of any kind (they are too young, although my eldest is now getting old enough to understand protests, so that will change)

Then again, I live in NYC, so seeing gay/lesbian couples isn't too much of a shock. It's life. That's part of the few things I LIKE about NYC - I hold a party, or go to a party with my friends, there will usually be various mixed race/mixed sexuality/mixed political couples and singles there - makes for an interesting party.

People usually call me "right wing" - but I'm not. I'm probably closer to what would be called a "classical liberal" - small, but progressive government, that stays out of peoples lives, and allows the people a lot of freedom - but I'm also not quite a libertarian - somewhere in between

All bets are off, of course, when you are participating in a public event about kissing.

That is true.

BTW about 20 years ago, I worked with a guy who's girlfriend was the office manager for the photographer that took the original photo. One of the interesting parts was they always knew who the woman was, but they did NOT have the man's name!! For years, guys would show up claiming to be "the guy" - and it turns out they had one way to know. The woman would ask ONE question "what did you say to me?" Then one year, the guy showed up. Turns out the reason he did NOT give his name was he was engaged at the time

Another interesting factoid - the original was NOT taken on VJ day!!!! Huh? It was published as a VJ day photo, but was actually taken a VE day. One clue to that? LOOK at what the people in the background are wearing... It was HOT in August - why the coats? That was also done to help disguse the guy