Holding hands: LGBTQ people’s experiences of public displays of affection with their partner(s)

Abstract

Many LGBTQ individuals grow up with a sense of being ‘other’ in a heteronormative society. This is not just an internal psychological experience, as many LGBTQ individuals report being recipients of hostility, victimisation and harassment. Interpersonally, homophobia and transphobia (both actual and fear of) may play out between partners and inhibit partners from commonplace displays of affection (e.g. holding hands in public). Holding hands in public, a taken-for-granted act of interpersonal affection for many heterosexual couples, may carry particular anxieties and/or significance for LGBTQ partners. This article reports on findings from a research project that explored 27 participants’ personal experiences of holding hands with their partner(s) in public, utilising a participatory, creative research approach. The analysis of data identified themes of vigilance, daily inhibitions, partner negotiations, inside/outside boundaries, and community dilemmas.