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Award Winning Campaign
20 Sep 2009
For Immediate Release: September 20th 2009
Please promote this event in whatever capacity in your blog/website/paper/magazine/ organisation. We are a grass roots campaign and we need to spread info quickly. The campaign’s success depends upon your support.
Photography Credit: Claire Nathan. High res pic available: info@adayinhand.com
A Day In Hand wins activist award in run up to the first international same-sex hand holding day Saturday 26th September 2009
David Watkins, founder of the A Day In Hand campaign has won an award in the Social Inclusion category for the Sheila McKechnie Foundation. Watkins will visit 10 Downing Street on October 7th to meet the UK Prime Minister who will officially endorse his equal rights initiative. The Sheila McKechnie Foundation was established in 2005 to help develop a new generation of campaigners who are tackling the root causes of injustice. Set up in memory of Dame Sheila McKechnie, the Foundation is entirely dedicated to helping campaigners create positive and lasting social change.
Watkins says, “This is an exciting time for the campaign, and with the support of Gorden Brown, we hope to reach the hearts and minds of more same-sex hand holders across the world who want to express their affection in public, aswell as promoting the campaign to a wider audience.”
A Day In Hand, the internationally successful campaign that has started a same-sex hand holding revolution, gathers more momentum as the UK hit band, 4 Poofs and a Piano show their support. Ian, from the 4 Poofs (who regularly perform on Jonathon Ross’s talk show on the BBC said, “Lesbian and gay couples should feel absolutely able to declare their love in public, and hand holding is a simple, yet powerful way to do this. The boys in the band all believe that seeing a same-sex couple holding hands in public not only challenges homophobia and raises awareness of the realities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans lives, but also brings music to the ears of those that see this simple act of affection. We encourage everyone to do the same.”
The first ever same-sex hand holding Saturday will be held on Saturday September 26th 2009. On this day, same-sex couples and friends all over the world are encouraged to hold hands in public to support the visibility of Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans (LGBT) people. Sshh! Saturdays will occur on the last Saturday of every month, publicised by A Day In Hand. This is a revolutionary way of encouraging and inspiring LGBT people to take responsibility for their equality and live their lives without fear or restraint. Sshh! Saturdays in major cities will eventually become regarded as an important time when numerous same-sex couples can feel confident in holding hands and being themselves.
Where?
The World
When?
The first international Same-sex hand holding (Sshh) Saturday will be Saturday September 26th.
What?
• On Saturday September 26th we are asking people to find someone of the same gender, and hold their hand in public. It may be for only 1 min or for the whole day! We would love people to have their photo taken holding hands and upload it to our website by sending to yourstories@adayinhand.com.
Who?
• The population (gay or straight, all faiths, genders, races, abilities, single or in a relationship). Celebrities 4 Poofs and a Piano, Brian Paddick and Boy George, author Paul Burston, MEP Michael Cashman, Mayor Boris Johnson and activists Peter Tatchell & Cleve Jones (Harvey Milk’s aide) have already endorsed the A Day In Hand campaign and many more will be holding hands on the first Sshh! Saturday.
Why?
• A Day In Hand founder, David Watkins says, “Sshh! Saturdays aim to ultimately create safer spaces for LGBT people. As the idea of Sshh! Saturdays grow in popularity and spread across the world, the last Saturday of every month will become a day of support for LGBT people who want to show their commitment in public. Many years ago in the UK, LGBT people knew that the last carriage of every train would be populated by members of the queer community. Today, A Day In Hand wants people to feel the same sense of support in public spaces on the last Saturday of every month.”
• Sshh! Saturdays are easily organised wherever you are. They are not prides or rallies. It only requires 2 people of the same sex to hold hands to make a Sshh! Saturday. The images sent to yourstories@adayinhand.com will be spread throughout the world via our website www.adayinhand.com. Visibility of same-sex love is particularly important so that LGBT people become part of the cultural fabric of people’s lives.
• Watkins adds “Same-sex hand holding (Sshh!) 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.”
• In areas of the world where it is impossible for LGBT to hold hands publicly, we call on people to send messages of support to our website on Sshh! Saturdays, and send in their photos of them holding hands, in public or private to yourstories@adayinhand.com
• ‘Sshh! Saturday 26th Sept’ will be in memoriam of the recent Tel Aviv shootings at a Gay & Lesbian centre and the ongoing atrocities being committed to LGBT people in Iraq.
You expect me to hold hands in MY area?
We’re not asking people to ignore survival instincts that say “this is not safe, I shouldn’t be doing this”. We are asking people to think about public displays of affection in more creative, less obtrusive ways. 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. If you find it difficult to hold hands down your local street, find a location or area where you can hold hands comfortably, perhaps in the aisle of your supermarket or in your local park. Even for only a few minutes, the experience is liberating! So far the campaign has highlighted the positive reaction to same-sex hand holding in many major Western cities. See our recent relay walk through London http://www.adayinhand.com/news/greatlondonsamesexhandholdingrelay
What is A Day In Hand?
A Day in Hand heralds a revolutionary way of making the world a more liveable place: a revolution in which anybody, on any day, can be a part of. The campaign is designed to promote equality of respect for people who wish to hold hands with someone of the same gender in public. It launched on May 17th this year and is now featured in over 20 countries worldwide. How? By holding hands we visibly challenge stereotypes and show we love and commit like everyone else. Anybody can take the day in hand. Events like Sshh! Saturdays remind people that each individual has the power to change the cultural zeitgeist. Holding hands with your partner or your friend, where you can, is about being true to yourself and to those you love.
How can I get involved? – (see contact info below) + useful links:
Website: http://www.adayinhand.com (PLEASE REGISTER WITH OUR WEBSITE)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44558452324
Twitter: http://twitter.com/adayinhand
4 Poofs and a Piano http://www.4poofsandapiano.com/
Sheila Mckechnie Foundation http://www.smk.org.uk/smk-awards-2009/
Send your public same-sex hand holding photos with a description to yourstories@adayinhand.com
Contact
David Watkins (A Day In Hand founder) info@adayinhand.com
Available for A Day In Hand interviews & feature writing. +44 (0) 7931 461810
Note to Editors
Please register at http://www.adayinhand.com for further updates. Photographs available. Feel free to use any images from the website as long as they are featured as part of A Day in Hand campaign and the relevant photographer is credited. Print copies of many more of these images are available. Email info@adayinhand.com
ENDS
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