Sshh! It’s a GAY couple holding hands!

The site of two men walking down the street holding hands (in the Western world) is still, ridiculously, rare. Well hold onto your hats, same-sex hand-holders are coming out'tomorrow!

Guaranteed to stop traffic and draw a crowd, well, at least a bout of rubber-necking, two men or women holding hands in public still manages to strike fear into the hearts and souls of, sadly, a lot of people. Silly, really.

A Day In Hand, a new equal rights initiative that aims to inspire same-sex couples world-wide to hold hands in public, is calling on the gay community to publicly express their affection on the last Saturday of each month.

The first international Sshh! (same-sex hand-holding) Saturday will be on September 26th and held in memory of the recent shootings at a Gay & Lesbian centre in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Campaign founder David Watkins said 'Same-sex hand holding is a silent revolution for LGBT people, because nothing needs to be said: no bold speeches, no reactive arguments, no war of words. Each LGBT person has the power to change the hearts and minds of people in their local community quietly, subtly, by simply holding hands publicly and owning their space. However, hand holding is a simple powerful gesture that can happen anywhere, at any time.'

Watkins is inviting participants the world over to upload photos of themselves holding hands with same-sex friends or partners to the A Day In Hand website.

In areas of the world where it is impossible or unsafe for gay people to express affection publicly the campaign reminds people not to ignore their 'survival instincts' but to consider safer gestures.

'If you can't hold hands in your immediate area, how about resting your head on your partner's shoulder at the cinema, or kissing them good-bye in the car? We have to start expressing our love in the mainstream."

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