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Queer LiberAction is holding a “Queer Kiss-In” of all things…at Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards of all places.

The Fort Worth Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community became unusually visible and noisy after the overzealous police raid at the Rainbow Lounge this summer. That community joined up with Dallas groups such as Queer LiberAction and said, in effect, “We’re pissed off and we’re not going to take anymore” and held protests near City Hall and at the Rainbow Lounge.

Good for them.

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Now they are pushing the point with plans, according to a press release, to “challenge the status quo by displaying our affections for one another in a positive and affirming way in a very socially conservative area of the city.”

“In 2009, GLBT people have every right to display our affections publicly just as everyone else does,” said Queer LiberAction founder Blake Wilkinson. “Our community is harassed in our own bars and clubs. We do not have the right to marry the person whom we love. We are not included in federal hate crime legislation, which protects us from violence directed toward our community, and we can be fired from our jobs simply for being gay. It is of the utmost importance now to respectfully but without falter publicly affirm who we are and whom we love. We are holding the Queer Kiss-in at the Fort Worth Stockyards to illustrate how GLBT people are treated as second class citizens in our everyday lives.”

Power to the gay cause, but, c’mon, I’m not buying this kiss-in thing. Queer LiberAction is becoming like PETA, relying on gimmicky showboating and provocative button-pushing that ultimately hurts its cause.

Sure it’s anybody’s right to kiss whomever they want. Live and let live. Kiss away. But spare us your PDAs, please. That goes for everybody, gay or straight.

I suppose in some ways the kiss-in is similar to Rosa Parks refusing to sit on the back of the bus way back when. Some groups have to push buttons to draw attention to the prejudices they face. If LiberAction is willing to wade into cowboy-land and swap gay spit to prove a point, I wish them good luck, god speed, and safety from harm.

If you want to participate in the queer kissing or just want to ogle the “visually interesting” behavior then head to the Stockyards at 5 p.m. this Saturday and pucker up.

4 COMMENTS

  1. I can’t think of a more innocent way to monkeywrench the minds and attitudes of uptight cowtowners. If they really want to make waves they should throw in some heavy petting.

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