This clip is about the acceptance of same sex couples making out in public spaces. Why is it okay for hetero couples to mash face, but not when of the same sex. Gauge your reactions and how you feel about the situations presented. Examine your feelings and ask where do they come from, and are they based on rationality or just what someone told you was OK and what was NOT OK. Question those assumptions as authority has a nasty habit of being wrong.
The clip ends with a similar situation only this time the same sex couple is female. Do you think the reaction will be the same? If I can find the clip we’ll watch and see, but I can already guess the result. It is much more OK for two women to be making out because women as members of the sex class, happen to be doing sexy things appeals to patriarchal norms in society and thus is far more acceptable then two men (clearly violating patriarchal norms) engaged in the same activity.
So, when you hear people talking about sexism and patriarchy and feminism do not rationalize it away as “some topic that does not apply to you” or “those battles were won years ago.” The struggle for a genuinely decent society is still ongoing and could always use more people who are aware of the problems and their privilege and most importantly how they can make a positive difference.
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
4 comments
January 5, 2012 at 11:53 am
Vern R. Kaine
If you’re talking about the “What Would You Do?” episode, I remember right, they placed these couples in a clearly hetero bar and put a guy in there also that was speaking out against the gay couples’ PDA. After a bit of grumbling, it turned out the patrons ended up telling this guy to mind his own business. It was surprising and pleasing to see.
To me, ANY PDA that is excessive is inappropriate, whether between straight or gay couples. An act of affection vs. an act of murder, sure, but the fact is these are public places and people should be considerate of others no matter what orientation they happen to be. A sports bar, for instance, isn’t intended as a make-out room. Rent a room or take it home and leave the rest of us to what the place was intended for – a place to get drunk, be obnoxious, and cheer on our favorite sports teams before we head on later to the strippers.
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January 5, 2012 at 4:38 pm
bleatmop
I’ve often thought it was weird that PDA’s have been shunned in society, whereas things like young men going out and getting fall down drunk, going out into the parking lot and picking a fight with whomever walks out next seems to be more or less acceptable behaviour for people.
Things that are more or less ok to air in public: Religion, Politics, Obnoxious behaviours (to quote Vern’s statement), Sports Allegiances, General Non-Specific Hostility to Random People, Advertisements depicting women in hypersexualized positions, ect.
Things that are taboo to air in public: Public Displays of Affection
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January 5, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Reneta Scian
I live with the issues of heteronormativity everyday being who I am. The one topic I haven’t seen them touch on is the way in which transgender people are treated, which is still a far bigger issue than either race, or sexual orientation. Heteronormativity on a whole is about the only valid position for someone to occupy in our culture. That position is male, identified as a man, and attracted to women and female, identified as woman, and attracted to men; and the position discredits all those who don’t conform to that model. Men are men, women are women, and men like women and vise verse. Unfortunately, that isn’t the way the world works… Some of us, myself included don’t fit that model.
Simply being in the minority doesn’t make someone invalid. It is a cultural problem that repeats time and time again, and it is what our constitution was designed to prevent… Tyranny of the Majority. Because you aren’t like the 90% of society, you are some how lesser, not worthy. It is that mentality that we need to abolish. Some of it is religion, some of it is just culture, but all are bad. Good post.
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January 5, 2012 at 10:25 pm
The Arbourist
To me, ANY PDA that is excessive is inappropriate, whether between straight or gay couples.
I’m not a big fan of people sucking face at my local pub either, it can be distracting and annoying depending on the proximity. However, all people should be judged on the same scale of annoying. :>
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