Thursday, September 29, 2005

PDAs

The crushtastic Michael of Pipedreams has recently been posting about a bit of French kissing and a sweet little sofa duo who've been ruffling some feathers. Seems the world is struggling to cope with Public Displays of Affection (PDA) between dudes who dig other dudes.

I live in a suburb of Sydney called Newtown, which is the second largest gay community in Sydney, and home to a couple of Sydney's most famous gay bars. (One of which provided some interior and exterior shots in the film Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.) Newtown is also home to a cool blend of university students, old people who've lived in the neighbourhood forever, doubleincomeonekid couples and inner-urban hipsters. We all manage to get along just fine.

One thing I love about Newtown is that it is such a blended neighbourhood. I love that I can see a young couple with a pram right alongside a hot gay couple holding hands, and nobody bats an eyelid. Violence in Newtown is pretty rare, and as far as I know there hasn't been a gay bashing in the area for a long time. Sydney is a pretty cool place for gay people.

Like any big city, you have to pick your time and place to be open and affectionate with someone of the same sex, but I think that on par Sydneysiders are a pretty liberal bunch. I used to meet a couple of my guy friends in the middle of the city almost every Saturday for a shopping expedition ('Suzie Shopping' it was dubbed for some long forgotten reason), and we always met with hugs and kisses all round. The only reaction I ever noticed was the occasional smile, especially from women.

I think it is important to be as open as you can be, within the boundaries of not putting yourself in direct risk. It's our right after all. I remember the first time I ever held hands with another boy in public, and how it made me feel eleven feet tall. If you are a couple of girls, or a couple of guys, on the street and you are holding hands, sharing a kiss, or having 'a moment' together, then you will always get a smile from me. I'm proud of you.

4 comments:

Sunshine said...

I'm jealous. I live in New Farm (gay capital in Brissy) and my boyfriend and I only dare to hold hands in the dark. Then again, it's too expensive to live down in Sydney!

Michael said...

It is important to be as open as you can be because it's normal and natural.

I have to get out of here. I heart Newtown.

Crushtastic. Hee! Possibly if you're into tall and geeky, but I didn't notice those on your list.

The Other Andrew said...

Sydney is expensive, but as someone who lives here by choice rather than by upbringing, I'm quite passionate about it.

Good point Michael, it is normal and natural. The thing is, especially when you live somewhere like here, when you actually do have to 'audit' your behaviour it feels really un-natural.

Tall & geeky huh? Hot! :-)

I'm not just being 'politically correct' here, but notice how looks aren't really primary on my list? I'm kind of weird in that I don't have a particular 'type' and if I like someone it's a gut reaction. I won't say looks are completely unimportant, but pretty can be boring and other people's idea of 'average' can be very sexy.

Will said...

Ooh I remember holding hands with my ex-boyfriend all through San Francisco.

Maybe we were too deep in each other's company, but I never noticed anyone staring. Only the tourists, perhaps.

It's a great feeling. The straights always take this for granted.