AT WHAT POINT DOES PUBLIC INTIMACY BECOME OFFENSIVE VULGARITY?

The story as it has been reported, to date:
Two men were on a date in a London pub nearby to Soho when they were asked by another drinker to stop kissing. Later, when the pair were set to go, they were asked to leave by a member of staff who cited “obscene” behaviour as her reason for their ejection. Two fellow diners who were sat on a nearby table have described the men’s actions as moderate and unworthy of objection. The matter has been referred to the Metropolitan police.

The problem I have with the discussion of this news story in its current form is that second-hand information cannot really provide enough of a picture to formulate an informed opinion. There are a number of factors to which none of us are privy; but a wealth of conclusions being drawn regardless. The lack of clarity here leaves us all to mere speculation alone. At what point does public intimacy tip over from a touching display of innocent romance into offensive vulgarity? Is it right or fair to discriminate on the grounds of sexuality?

What this event shows – along with the array of comments listed online – is the subjectivity to human experience and social behaviours that everyone inherently has. It is at the crux of the very story itself – a disagreement about what is acceptable. No pub landlord, couple on their first-date, journalist or web commentator is ever going to solve the problem that people’s ideas about how to live differ.

Until we know the motivations of the pub’s landlord and staff - and the exact nature of the couple’s behaviour - we will not be able to weigh up this event with reason or clarity. In the meantime, vilifying the people involved will only do ourselves a similar disservice.

A note regarding the planned "kiss-in" protests: Deliberately riling those whom you disagree with will not achieve mutual respect but will stoke further division.

The flurry of opinions being spouted from all quarters seem to warrant a nationwide questioning: “AT WHAT POINT DOES PUBLIC INTIMACY BECOME OFFENSIVE VULGARITY?”