KICKED OUT FOR KISSING

No Kissing Zone: 10 Gay Couples Refused Service For Showing PDA

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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.

Sacramento, CA — Daniel Chesmore and Jose Guzman

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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.”

New Bern, NC — Ariel and Shawnee McPhail

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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.

Richmond, KY — Cheri Chenault and Destiny Keith

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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.

Salt Lake City, UT — Matt Aune and Derek Jones

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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.

Phoenix, AZ — Kenyata White and Aeimee Diaz

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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.

Chicago, IL — Christopher Buchanan and Derrell Hughes

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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.

St. Louis, MO — Teresa Folds and Juleigh Snell

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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.

Southwest Airlines — The L Word‘s Leisha Hailey and Camila Grey

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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.

New York, NY — Paul Bruno and Erick Ruales

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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.

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