Lesbian Couple Told Not to Hold Hands in Museum
Posted: July 19, 2011 Filed under: GLBT Rights | Tags: Alice B. Toklas, art, Contemporary Jewish Museum, Gertrude Stein, GLBT rights, Jane Levikow, Man Ray, San Francisco 8 Comments
Photo of Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein, by Man Ray
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Jane Levikow went to the Contemporary Jewish Museum Sunday afternoon to look at art. She ended up with a refresher course in San Francisco civil rights.
Levikow was in the gallery with her partner when she noticed a young lesbian couple in heated conversation with a security guard.
“They were holding hands,” Levikow said, “and he told them they couldn’t hold hands in the museum.”
The couple argued with the guard and people began to gather around to see what was happening. The guard then tried to escort the couple out, but they refused to leave and demanded to talk to museum officials.
Daryl Carr, museum spokesman, says museum officials are active in supporting the LBGT community and that they have asked that the guard, who works for a private security company, be reprimanded.
Ironically, when the guard accosted them, the couple were viewing an exhibit about the life of Gertrude Stein, who was also a lesbian.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Some times the hypocrisy hurts really really bad.
At least in SF they tend to be civilized and they made things right.
That happened in San Francisco????????????????????? WTF?
Perhaps lessons were learned?? I hope so.
Hard to believe that a guard in SF tried to tell a lesbian couple they couldn’t hold hands! What a dope. I hope he is reprimanded with a resulting attitude adjustment.
I wonder what made the guard think holding hands wasn’t permitted, or that he could just arbitrarily make them not hold hands. It’s not uncommon (or at least used to be) in other countries for same-sex hetero friends to hold hands. Also, it could have been someone with a special needs person who literally needed hand-holding.
“They were holding hands,” Levikow said, “and he told them they couldn’t hold hands in the museum.”
This is the nonsense that’s holding us back. The fact that people in this nation fail to understand what Liberty truly means. Which is, of course, the freedom of restriction or oppression.
I have no problem with an individual having a specific view on any topic, be it Christianity, men with pony tails, Green Bay Packer fans or folks in the LBGT community. But to take an action based on that view is in contradiction of, what I think they would call, Liberty.
I am happy to see the museum react in such a manner that is consistent with these beliefs.
there is not nearly enough hand holding going on in the world now. 🙂
there is not nearly enough hand holding going on in the world now.
Like.