I know firsthand that same sex couples still can’t hold hands in public without threat of violence
What I Rent: Scarlett and Xandice, £1,050 a month for a two-bedroom flat in BrightonThe reality of being a tradeswoman and earning just 72% of what men doMum gives birth to two babies in one year - from separate uterusesThese are the things that officially give us the ickIf I think back to all those incidents that just didn’t feel serious enough to report, I’d have to include three men – on separate incidents – forcing their tongues into my mouth to show me what I’m missing, a stranger in Brighton shouting at us that we should all be shot, and the men in a pub who tried to chat us up and then demanded we snogged to ‘prove’ we were gay (we didn’t, of course).Then there were the lower level, run-of-the-mill situations, such as being refused hotel rooms and having to be really careful about where we holiday and whether it’s safe to book a double room.So, there we have it.
This is why, in 2022, with so much equality and acceptance, it’s still not always ‘safe’ for same sex couples to be ‘out’ in public.Do we ever feel safe to throw an arm around each other or hold hands?
Sometimes, sure – but it’s always something to think carefully about and never something to be taken for granted.Metro.co.uk’s weekly The Truth Is… series seeks to explore anything and everything when it comes to life’s unspoken truths and long-held secrets.
Contributors will challenge popular misconceptions on a topic close to their hearts, confess to a deeply personal secret, or reveal their wisdom from experience – good and bad – when it comes to romance or family relationships.If you would like your share your truth with our readers, email jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
