I tried to explain this to Melissa once. You remember Melissa don't you (Snuit)? She told me I should move to Holland where I would be free to express myself. Amsterdam is a city where gay people can freely hold hands, kiss and show their affection without fear of discrimination. I told her I doubt I could ever do that. She wondered why and I explained it is because I have -with the exception of 2 years in S. Florida - lived in Indiana my entire life. The very idea of holding hands with another guy in public smacks of (to me) the idea of running down the street just as naked as the day I was born. I just don't ever think I would be comfortable doing it. She didn't understand what I meant - I suppose because she lives in such a liberal country and I do not. Two guys around here do not even hug each other in the airport, even if they are straight.
People just DON'T DO IT!
Any of it.
Sure, I remember Melissa! We're Facebook friends! (Are you on there, by the way? If not, you need to be!)
I understand what you're saying here and why I doubt she could fully appreciate it, but of course, I grew up in the South and have an good understanding of what is socially acceptable there and what is not and how hard it can be to defy the convention, particularly when your personal safety could well be at risk.
About the airport - I have some good news about a movement of sorts afoot, tho you may have read it in my blog....the details are hazy at the moment.
Truman (and someone? Paul, Chuck, Rich perhaps) were at an airport restaurant (Charlottesville?) and two of them had the audacity to hug and kiss goodbye, much to the shock of the local patronage.
Well, the next Don Wroe-like trip, I hear this story, and make a proclamation of sorts that from now on, I will kiss whoever picks me up at the airport in full public view and damn the torpedos, or whatever. I put it into practice that very weekend by laying one on Vicki when she got out of the car at the Arrivals terminal. I know there's a picture of that in my blog - a reenactment, actually, as I explained myself.
My logic process, such that it is, is that if enough people become accustomed to seeing it, they'll get over it eventually. And I doubt an airport is someplace homophobic people would do damage because it would land them in trouble with Homeland Security.