Last week we shared with you the story of Matt McCrea and Steven White (above), a couple kicked out of the back of a cab after sharing an innocent “peck.” When asked why he ejected the couple, the cantankerous cabbie claimed they were “making sex.” The police found no evidence to suggest that, relegating the driver’s comments to the Lame Excuse Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens all the time, even in metropolitan centers like Chicago where Steven and Matt were dropped by their discriminatory driver. It’s little stories like this that remind us how far we’ve come in the struggle for equality and how much further we still have to go. Here, a rap sheet of same-sex couples denied service or just plain discriminated against for doing what heterosexual couples take for granted everyday.
Hunker down and pucker up ’cause we’re staging a kiss-in for these couples kicked out for kissing.
Crime: Holding hands and kissing in the Westfield Galleria, where they were asked to leave by a morbidly attentive security guard.
Lame Excuse: The unnamed mall guard told them, “I counted you guys kissing 25 times. I told you before, we contact any couple…about this.”
Crime: Being a lesbian couple at the Stingray Cafe, owned by a religious zealot, who left them a note with their meal asking them to consider changing their sapphic ways “before it’s too late.”
Lame Excuse: They were allegedly kissing outside the establishment, according to the owner — something the couple denies since they “don’t kiss in public.” Gee, we wonder why.
Crime: Kissing in EC Million Memorial Park. A then-pregnant Cheri and her girlfriend Destiny were in the middle of a romantic photoshoot when they hesitantly and quickly shared a kiss, leading a surly ranger to kick them out.
Lame Excuse: “The man said, ‘Those type of people were not welcomed there,’” said photographer Jessica Miller-Poole. The ranger added that if Miller-Poole ever came back with “those kinds of people” they would be “removed” from the park.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Crime: Kissing in front of a Mormon church, for which they were violently detained by security guards.
Lame Excuse: The church claimed Matt and Derek were trespassing and were “politely asked to stop engaging in inappropriate behavior – just as any other couple would have been.” Matt and Derek, however, say straight couples kissed there all the time and that they were standing up for themselves.
Crime: Kissing at a Sheraton restaurant on their one year anniversary.
Lame Excuse: The manager claimed other customers were uncomfortable and that they should “get a room,” eventually offering them free drinks if they left.
Crime: Kissing on a public bus.
Lame Excuse: After a passenger had complained, the bus driver allegedly told the couple, “you bitches need to get off the bus … I can’t stand fags,” and called the police when they refused to leave. The police said they had done nothing illegal but they left anyway after the 2-hour ordeal.
Crime: Kissing in a jacuzzi at the Sheraton. They were asked to leave but refused to do so until the pool closed.
Lame Excuse: Management claimed that even heterosexual couples weren’t allowed to kiss on the property, but that Teresa and Juleigh were “acting inappropriately,” leading to complaints from other guests.
Crime: Kissing on a flight.
Lame Excuse: The flight attendant alleged that other passengers found their affection “excessive” but Southwest maintained that Leisha was escorted off the plane for using “loud profanity” after she and her girlfriend were asked to stop.
Crime: Hugging in the back of a cab, which so appalled their driver he dropped them off two blocks into their trip.
Lame Excuse: The cabbie claimed the couple “kept hugging and kissing” and that “he was almost sitting on his lap,” before adding “I wanted to pay attention to getting them to their destination instead of worrying if they were going to have sex or not.” The cabbie said he would’ve done the same thing if it was a heterosexual couple, meaning this was probably his first and last time as a New York cab driver.
Sidenote: Apparently, Erick and Paul got married in 2011. So all’s well that ends well.
John
This happened in Columbus Ohio the other weekend too http://www.abc6onyourside.com/template/cgi-bin/archived.pl?type=basic&file=/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/archive/2013/05/sVOmPLhb.xml#.UbcsYPagnZZ
Ron Jackson
“making sex” ? Who talks like that?
Charles175
Recording of video footage of this kind of shit and posting it is a good way to show the reality of these things. Those that do these things under the cover of darkness scatter like roaches when illuminated.
Charles175
Recording of video footage of this kind of shit and posting it is a good way to show the reality of these things to the rest of the World. Those that do these things under the cover of darkness scatter like roaches when illuminated.
Daniel-Reader
Gay, bi or straight, there are people who aer miserable who don’t like seeing other people happy and in love. It is sad that people cannot be happy for other people. There is enough misery and violence in the world without attacking folks who are being affectionate. Too many people are raised to feel guilty or ashamed to show affection in public.
Dancer
I agree with all of the above.
And, to Ron Jackson, I have heard some people whose primary language is Spanish say “making sex” and “having love” instead of “having sex” and “making love.” It of course sounds odd to us, but when you think about it, who’s to say which is right and wrong. English is a very screwed up language.
Gordon
“Making sex!” Sound like a foreign speaker to me! So poll the cabbies in NYC and that should tell you!
MrEguy
I want for to making sex in cab, please for me.
Derek Williams
Now they would be perfectly ok with PDA if A=Aggression
That’s how fucked up this is.
erasure25
Its always, “but we don’t allow heteros to do this either.” Its frightening how easily lies come from these peoples’ mouths.
rimbutt
First off: What is a “PDA”???? These gazillions of acronyms vex the heck out of me, particularly if it’s assumed that I’d “naturally” understand them.
To the subject at hand – this is outrageous and proves that the broad population is far from ready to accept the gay lifestyle as a way of life.
Reason being – too much hate and bias spread through media, too much indifference to incidents like this and not enough info to convince the broad grassroots that it’s ok to be different.
And sofar the American Way of Life is actively attacking differences, wherever they occur, such as race, religion, gender, colour, language/accents, dress-codes even, and more.
What’s different is unknown, what’s unknown is cause for fear, which leads to hostile attitudes and outright attacks.
Educate the grassroots, that it’s ok to be different, and the first step towards tolerance will be done…
Dywane
everyone of these companies should be sued for discrimination because if each one of the couples had been heterosexual couples none of this would have happened they should do a sting and show how the differences between the way straight and gay couples are treated in the same situations I hate to be talking about litigation so easily but this is discrimination pure nad simple
Dywane
everyone of these companies should be sued for discrimination because if each one of the couples had been heterosexual couples none of this would have happened they should do a sting and show how the differences between the way straight and gay couples are treated in the same situations I hate to be talking about litigation so easily but this is discrimination pure and simple
Hank Taylor
I had a similar experience in a cab in Perth, Western Australia. The cab driver was a “new” Australian seemingly from an oppressed country, he hurled abuse at my then BF and I, and demanded we get out on a busy freeway! As I got out I regrettably hurled a mouthful of abuse and kicked his car he then tried to run me down! It was pretty full on. On the flip side I’ve had another cabbie offer me a free ride for a BJ! That was awkward lol
(I declined his offer)
dbmyers
@rimbutt: Since nobody else has bothered to answer your question, I will. PDA means “public displays of affection”.
As to “Educate the grassroots, that it’s ok to be different, and the first step towards tolerance will be done…”, this is already being done in the grade schools and the high schools. Tolerance is being taught along with anti-bullying (for any reason) campaigns and we are already seeing change in the attitudes of younger people in the direction of inclusiveness and treating everyone equally. I think the campaign for equal marriage has had more impact that we might have thought it would, because it has brought the issues of equality under the law and universal human rights into the public discussion in both the schools and in the general communities. President Obama single handedly challenged the black community in general and the black Christian churches in particular to adjust their attitudes towards equal marriage, and, for the most part, they have responded positively.
BlogShag
Since when does kissing someone equate to sexual activity?