A Day In Hand

Equal rights and equal respect. Equality is in our hands...

A Day In Hand heralds a new movement in fighting for LGBT rights: a movement in which anybody, on any day, can contribute to. You don’t have to fight to change the world. Same-sex hand holding (Sshh) is a silent revolution. The project is asking people to upload photos of public, same-sex hand holding to www.adayinhand.com, register with the site and spread the word. Collectively, the photos will map the public presence of same-sex love across the world. In the UK in particular, the campaign needs stories and photos from all over England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland.

The movement was officially launch at XXL Club, London Bridge 1-4pm on May 17th 2009. This was to coincide with International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

It is the concept of David Watkins, the treasurer LGBT History Month and represents a sparkling example of how, as a community, we have a chance to change the world! His vision of same sex couples openly displaying affection in public with the simple gesture of holding each others hands is an inspiring and powerful message. It shows us that not only is there something left to strive for but also that equality does not just come in a court of law, but also in our local pubs, bars, restaurants, communities and the streets we choose to walk (the list here is quite literally ENDLESS!)...

Celebrities and public figures have been quick to get involved. Brian Paddick (I’m A Celebrity…) appeared in a photo shoot for the project, and activists Cleve Jones (Harvey Milk’s aide) and Peter Tatchell support the campaign. The campaign has also been discussed widely on BBC Radio 5 Live and had its own phone in on Sat evening, 25th April 2009 on the Stephen Nolan show.

For many in the LGBT community there is a sense of reserve and separation as an individual within society. For couples these feelings are not as simple as one plus one, it's more like one hundred fold. Why is it with almost equal status in society we cannot display that which comes naturally to so many? The point is not the answer, it is the solution.

As many may have noticed, the first step towards this is not made by the one sitting comfortably... It is the one who stands in the corner and must make his way towards the door, lets walk together.

We would like to thank the photographers Colum LaVelle and Mark Weeks for the use of these images.

When did you come up with the concept of 'A Day in Hand'?

It’s because hand holding was something I always wanted to do with partners but always got really angry with myself and others when doing it. I could never do it without massive internal debates and self-analysis. If I wasn’t angry at myself for not doing it enough, I was angry at society for making me feel uncomfortable and then angry at my partner for not agreeing to take my hand whenever, wherever. I’ve always had quite a devil may care attitude to tackling homophobia. I understand that not everyone is like this, so I wanted to create a doable framework for people to challenge homophobia. When I get angry at things I can become very passionate. A Day In Hand was born out of a lot of anger and a lot of passion. I also wanted to fight homophobia proactively and not only reactively.


What is the concept of 'A Day in Hand' in your mind?

A Day in Hand is a non-violent, individual centred, way to affirm yourself, and your same-sex love, publicly. It also provides a revolutionary way of changing cultural perceptions of same-sex love, a revolution that anybody, gay, straight, single, or committed, on any day, can be a part of.
Equality in law is almost there now (don’t mentioned the Marriage  word or the blood ban), but the real test is whether or not we can be ourselves out in the open, everyday, with the people we love. There is much work to be done before we are afforded this kind of equality of respect. Equality of respect is about LGBT people being able to live their lives as publicly and openly as possible without abuse.  A Day In Hand provides an opportunity to think about hand holding in more creative colours than we have normally before.


Who have you found most receptive to your message?

Existing hand holders who wanted the encouragement to keep on pushing boundaries. People looking for gay positive messages. Straight people who want to help fight homophobia but have not previously been able to relate or respond to LGBT messages.


Barring, Gay Pride UK, who has stood up in support of your cause so far?

Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig, John Snow, Shami Chakrabti, Cleve Jones, Harvey Milk’s aide and activists, Peter Tatchell send Brian Paddick, even British Foreign office just sent me a hand holding pic! Organisations are also showing a keen interest. We are now part of Schools Out which produced the hugely successful LGBT History Month. Other organisations include IDAHO &  ELOP.  Equality South West; many local LGBT council groups and organisation, magazines such as Diva, QX, Boys, and Pink Paper articles appeared in The Sun and The Guardian. Numerous have come forward people who wanted to be involved in the photo shoots we organised. Just under 5000 on our Facebook group ‘A Day In Hand’. Hundreds of blogs around the world. Diario De Lima Gay in Peru, an LGBT organisation who took to the streets of Lima, Peru holding hands. BBC Radio has covered us quite a bit. BBC Radio Solent sent 2 straight men reporters to hold hands on the streets of Southampton (taking our Elvis “Walk a Mile In My Shoes” challenge)


The launch Party....... What happened?

Check out the link here http://www.adayinhand.com/news/xxllaunchreview

So, Treasurer of Schools Out and National History Month.... How long have you been doing this and how did you get into it?

As part of my teaching training in 2004 I wrote a dissertation on homophobic bullying in schools. This was published on the General Teaching Council’s website and Elizabeth Atkinson and Rene DePalma of the No Outsiders Project invited me to Newcastle to present in a seminar at the University. Sue Sanders, Schools Out co-chair came to see this and that’s where my involvement with Schools Out and LGBT History Month started. I had grant writing experience and they were looking for people to help in fundraising. Since 2005 I’ve been on the Schools Out committee and helped with the coordination of its national project LGBT History Month. I moved into the position of Treasurer least year. We had some changes in the committee. Paul Patrick the co-chair tragically passed away, and the existing treasurer left after many years of service.

Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself : I cut my teeth on the gay scene in San Francisco I live there in 2000 and then again 2002-2004.  I cried at my first gay pride, because I just found it pretty much overwhelming, and I often should remind myself of how it feels to go to your first gay pride and how much magic Prides can bring. As I get older however I need more than just one day of the year to be able to express my love publicly. That’s another reason I think A Day In Hand came about.


What would you like to see for a day in hand in the future?

I would like Same-sex hand holding) Sshh Saturdays run across the world for the last Saturday for every month. This is time when everyone can come together to hold hands, and our last 4 events have been receiving some amazing pics. (See Sshh Saturday menu on homepage (http://www.adayinhand.com) I want  Day In Hand chapters to form all over the world, as we already have London, California, Minnesota, Chicago etc. I’d also like for the website to develop and more people to send in their pictures.


Any further projects that you would like to see come to fruition?

A Day In did a great project in the summer call The Great London  Same-sex Hand Holding Relay around London as part of the London Games 2012’s Open Weekend in July 2009 – check it on our website home page http://www.adayinhand.com. We would like to repeat this in 2010.  We will also be working with Public Relations firm Mandate who will help us write to constituent candidates in the run up to British election, engaging them on the ides of same-sex hand and holding and also asking them to be in a photo holding hands with someone of the same gender to support us and their LGBT voters. Perhaps we could ask then to take A Day In Hand -Elvis Challenge. We will also remind candidates of the number of LGBT voters in their area who could be very useful in backing individual candidates collectively. We have also starting our fundraiser drive to make the campaign, and will be organising a fundraiser in April in Soho and we have also add a donate button on our website; even if it’s a pound, we can buy 2 stamps for admin for that. I would also like to get some merchandise out for the project featuring the hand/heart logo on t-shirts and gloves (great for hand holding)
 Aside from A Day In Hand, I am quite interested in looking at the accessibility of London from a wheelchair users point of view. I recently spent some time in the capital with one of the models of A Day In Hand photo shoot who uses a wheelchair, and it was unbelievably difficult to get around town. As able bodied people, we take so many things for granted. A bit like hand holding for straight people really!