Double Standards

[BT]

We do, passed with much opposition last year or the year before.

Let me guess. Passed overwhelmingly in King County. Rest of the state was a draw.

[Brassmask]

There is a huge difference between rights and legality.

Public displays of affection (PDA) may be legal in some venues, but the question remains are they a right.

PDA's are illegal in India and South Africa.

Many US schools districts hold PDA's as grounds for suspension.

Not really.

You worry about your PDA and let others worry about theirs.

We live in the US of A.  Don't like it, move to India, commie.

Kids shouldn't be allowed to have PDA.  SINNERS!

[BT]

We live in the US of A.  Don't like it, move to India, commie.

Rights are universal. Laws aren't.

Kissing in public is therefore not a right.

[fatman]

We do, passed with much opposition last year or the year before.

Let me guess. Passed overwhelmingly in King County. Rest of the state was a draw.

Actually, yes and no.  It obviously carried large majorities with legislators (it was enacted in the legislature, not a citizens initiative) from King and Pierce counties, and majorities (although not supermajorities) in pretty much the rest of Western Washington.  Eastern Washington opposed the measure IIRC, with the exception of the legislators whose districts included WSU in Pullman.

[Michael Tee]

<<Kissing in public is therefore not a right. >>

It might not be, but I think there's an equal accommodation right.  The stadium enjoys some form of governmental approval in the form of a licence to operate, realty tax break, on-site sale of booze or God knows what.  So freedom of expression issues are involved.  It's also a form of interstate commerce, in that the site hosts visiting teams, the games may be broadcast regionally or nationally, etc.  Equal accommodation rights would be involved if it's shown that heteros can make out where gays can't.  Either ban it for everyone or make it OK for everyone.  I think a boycott of the stadium, the team or the advertisers could be very effective.  Personally I think it's GOOD for little kids to see two ladies kissing just like mum and dad because it teaches them about tolerance and diversity.  It's an important life lesson.

[BT]

Then i would be in favor of banning it.

But then again, i don't stand up for the wave.

[Michael Tee]

Haven't seen the wave in quite some time.  But then again, I've never seen anyone making out at a ball game either.  We're a pretty sedate bunch up here.

[Amianthus]

We're a pretty sedate bunch up here.

Last time I was in Toronto, there were women walking around topless everywhere.

[hnumpah]

Just curious...

Why, when I click over to this thread, do I see an ad for 'gay chubby dating'?

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[Michael Tee]

<<Last time I was in Toronto, there were women walking around topless everywhere.>>

Holy shit, I mean, uh, where in particular did you observe this interesting phenomenon?

Probably about twenty years ago, on a day when the temperature was hovering above the 90-degree mark, a 19-year-old female university student decided to go bare-chested, as did many of the boys in the park, and was arrested and charged.  The courts found that women had the same rights as men to go bare-breasted in public - - point taken! - - but as far as I am aware, no other woman has ever availed herself of that right, including the student herself, who said later she was only trying to make a political point.  And BTW, I don't even think that was in Toronto, I believe it was at a small university town in south-western Ontario, Guelph or Waterloo, IIRC.

[Amianthus]

Holy shit, I mean, uh, where in particular did you observe this interesting phenomenon?

At the Renn Faire it seemed to be big (I think they shut that down a few years ago, though). Probably the most, ummm, memorable one was driving down 401 somewhere around Milton. There was a car stopped on the side of the road, guy was changing a tire. His wife / girlfriend / whatever was sitting on the guard rail wearing a pair of shorts. And nothing else.

I saw one or two in a park around there somewhere, too, just don't remember the details.

[Rich]

I don't mind seeing two women kissing at all

Two men on the other hand ... yuk

[Michael Tee]

At the Renn Faire it seemed to be big (I think they shut that down a few years ago, though). Probably the most, ummm, memorable one was driving down 401 somewhere around Milton. There was a car stopped on the side of the road, guy was changing a tire. His wife / girlfriend / whatever was sitting on the guard rail wearing a pair of shorts. And nothing else.

I saw one or two in a park around there somewhere, too, just don't remember the details.

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Who woulda thunk?  Hmm, it's 90 degrees today, as it happens.  Thanks Ami.