• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Grammy Awards: Men’s fashion steals the red carpet in stereotype-shattering style
  • New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds
  • Trevor Noah pokes fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis

2 Men Kissing in Biden’s Video is Hot, Familiar, Never Seen Before, Norm-Busting, Confident, and Universal by the 3rd Second

Michael Goff March 15, 2021 Leave a Comment

Screen Shot 2021 03 12 at 9.42.09 PM 1

2 men kissing in Biden’s video moved many to thank him on Instagram.

2 Men Kissing in Biden’s Video — An Uncoded Invite To the Group Hug

After a year of COVID isolation i would rather not have to look for subtle rainbows, equal signs, for the guy with a fauxhawk in the back of a crowd to determine if i’m included in a message or campaign. You might as well just throw a Unicorn mask on the caricatures of gay guys in mainstream shows that are meant to both advertise to a gay audience but keep prime time chaste. Biden’s video includes two seconds of two men kissing that you’ve not seen in any 2 seconds of any government-issued anything before. This is visceral, skip the search, the decoding and go directly to feeling it. We’re in the land of ‘No Malarky’ as promised. The words are olde tyme. The rest is unprecedented.

This video, posted to the @POTUS account (not @joebiden), was part of last week’s campaign resilience campaign. Near the beginning, as part of the “Before” section, with images of Americans connecting, are 3 seconds (of 86 total) that flash first two women, presumably lesbians, then the two men kissing, and then to what looks like the same men leaning on each other in crowded bar or venue with a show.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMTFAu_AEX4/

I asked a few other to react, and almost to the person each thought they seemed like real people, like people they would see in their lives, and might know. A few found them so familiar that they were cavalier about the significance and tried to call me an old Boomer. They were wrong. I’m a verified Gen X slacker. I reminded them this was not in their homes, part of a gay Youtube or in an LGBTQ space. This was the President of the United States posting in the official future-archived account, speaking to everyone in the country. And whether or not the president even saw this video, it appeals on a visceral level to gay men directly in a way that has never been comfortable to the mainstream. That it feels so familiar is important. It did what it was supposed to do. Reach us on a visceral level. Mission accomplished.

Instagram responded politely, with the kiss highlighted a number of times in comments. Commenter @dcvining’s:

“It is honestly so profoundly meaningful to see he President of the United States post a video that contains 2 men kissing; even if for a brief moment. Like yeah, major strides have been made over the year, but as an out gay man, these past 4 years included so many major setbacks upon my own community and various others. So thank you, seriously means a lot.

@dcvining on Instagram

I had the same reaction, but i think it’s even more unique.

Here’s the challenge: Can you can think of another portrayal — fact or fiction, still or moving pictures, recorded or performed live and intended for a mass, mainstream audience that connects so directly, with no decoding required AND that is ultimately NOT used to shame or ridicule the subjects or to shock someone else? If you can, please comment it below. I can’t come up with a single example that isn’t compromised in some way to protect someone else from awkwardness. So while it feels familiar to us. It is unlikely to feel that way to others outside of our space.

This hiding and coding in public isn’t all top down. We do our own all the time, hesitating and not doing something others would. Is this Biden Video a Unicorn? Brokeback? Shame. Dude Where’s My Car? Ridicule. Queer as Folk? Shock. QAF is probably the closest, though it never was marketing mainstream and was on the shocking side, ultimate proof of the theory that everyone should be allowed their own telenovela that is left alone.

… two seconds of two men kissing that you’ve not seen in any 2 seconds of government-issued anything before…. We’re in the land of ‘No Malarky’ as promised….The words are olde tyme. The rest is unprecedented.

2 Men Kissing in Biden’s Video — No Tie Nor Caveat Required

It’s a difficult moment? Some of us live fully integrated, in relative safety while others fear being exposed everywhere they go, maintaining two separate lives. It’s almost impossible to generalize for the whole country other than to say we remain “othered.”

2 Men Kissing in Biden Video is Part of Universal Call to Remember Our Connections Before COVID

2 Men Kissing in Biden Video is Part of Universal Call to Remember Our Connections Before COVID

My Movie 21c
My Movie 21c
2 Men Kissing in Biden Video is Universall Call to Remember Our Connections Before COVID

2 Men Kissing in Biden Video is Universall Call to Remember Our Connections Before COVID

My Movie 21e
My Movie 21ee
My Movie 21f
My Movie 21g
My Movie 21g 1
My Movie 21h
My Movie 21j
My Movie 21p

Every one is a step in the right direction.

And that is what makes these seconds of men kissing in the video even more remarkable. Three seconds, up front. Gay men kissing in a video from our President. No nervous laugh. No reaction shot showing the shock. In fact, the reaction shot is them looking easy and satisfied with their right not to give a shit what anyone thinks.

2 Men Kissing in Biden Video — Advanced Class: Universal Trigger for Love

But this goes to an even higher level. Those three gay seconds with a hot passionate kiss are right at the beginning of a video intended for everyone. They didn’t produce a procession of kisses by all possibly types of people. And it’s not tossed in at the end to say, “oh, and this is for you too.” There is in fact some danger that this will be interpreted as some kind of universal experience, a trigger for anyone because it is just so hot; a trigger in support of the president’s campaign to get everyone in touch with their own feelings so they get inspired to work hard and rebuild the connections to each other. Biden goes on to talk of our physical needs and intimacy needs unlike any national politician i’ve heard of, getting specific about the way we look at loved ones and the hugging, hugging, hugging.

We have moved so far ahead — or are so isolated — that no one much noticed that the President of the United States used uncoded images that are hot–ok, passionate–to support his first address as president to the nation about our recovery from the hellish loss and isolation of the last few years. He or someone on his team decided this would appeal to a broad range of people, would remind them of the intimacy they used to have, alone, without a bunch of other examples. It’s undeniably a very hot passionate kiss that will inspire some –even with the COVID pounds–to go do the work to re-connect as requested by our president. But choosing to feature this video, with no way out if they feel awkward is unprecedented. What happens if it works and someone realizes they want to connect in that way, sparked by a universal image of two men making out like no one is watching? I’m not going to assume it will make the world a different place or change even one person, but a few more might make a difference.

Another commenter, @twentysomethingandtired commented, ” Seeing the two men kiss in the beginning got me EMOTIONAL.”

image 5
My Movie 21 1
My Movie 21a 1
image 3

image 4

o

Topics: Entertainment, Politics, Space, World More Posts About: Covid-19, gay kiss, instagram, Joe Biden, Privacy

Related Posts
  • Suspected Chinese surveillance balloon is shot down Over the Atlantic
  • ‘You’re An Embarrassment’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Gets Backlash For Making Fun Of The FBI’s Skills When Raiding President Joe Biden’s Home For Documents
  • Trump warns U.S. House Republicans not to touch Social Security, Medicare
  • New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds

    New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds

    Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford NEW YORK (Reuters) – An independent New York City police review board has recommended that the department punish dozens of officers for excessive use of force and other alleged misconduct …Read More »
  • Trevor Noah pokes fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis

    Trevor Noah pokes fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Trevor Noah poked fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis during the Grammy Awards on Sunday (05.02.23). The 38-year-old star couldn’t resist mocking the prince’s intimate revelation about his icy agony – …Read More »
  • Key winners at music industry’s 2023 Grammy Awards

    Key winners at music industry’s 2023 Grammy Awards

    Published by Reuters By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The biggest names in the music industry gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday for the 65th annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Here is a list of winners …Read More »
  • Sam Smith and Kim Petras scoop Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy

    Sam Smith and Kim Petras scoop Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Kim Petras paid tribute to the “transgender legends” who “kicked the doors open” for her as she picked up her first Grammy Award on Sunday (05.02.23). The 30-year-old singer and her …Read More »
Previous Post: « Harry Styles’ ‘Watermelon Sugar’ Grammy Performance Will Have You Feeling Sticky and Sweet: WATCH
Next Post: Cheer Mom Deep Fakes Rivals; Katie Porter; Future Burners; Elliot Time; Tucker Salad; Lemon Side; Trump dogged; Liza, GenX, LoveB: HOT LINKS »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Study Finds Anti-Social Straight Male Sex Issues May Pose Bigger Crisis Threats to Society

    Study Finds Anti-Social Straight Male Sex Issues May Pose Bigger Crisis Threats to Society

  • Ted Cruz claims Buttigieg running against Biden because his ‘cadence’ is ‘mimicking Barack Obama’

    Ted Cruz claims Buttigieg running against Biden because his ‘cadence’ is ‘mimicking Barack Obama’

  • ‘Invasion of privacy’: Some Florida athletes leery of being made to reveal menstrual cycles

    ‘Invasion of privacy’: Some Florida athletes leery of being made to reveal menstrual cycles

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • Dennis Rodman On If He’d Ever Get Back With Ex-Girlfriends: “I Tried Madonna, I Tried Carmen Electra…”

    Dennis Rodman On If He’d Ever Get Back With Ex-Girlfriends: “I Tried Madonna, I Tried Carmen Electra…”

  • James Gunn Seemingly Confirms The DCU Will Finally Have Gay Superheroes

    James Gunn Seemingly Confirms The DCU Will Finally Have Gay Superheroes

  • Vanilla Ice Admits He Rejected Madonna’s Proposal Before They Split: ‘I Thought The Guy Was Supposed To Do That’

    Vanilla Ice Admits He Rejected Madonna’s Proposal Before They Split: ‘I Thought The Guy Was Supposed To Do That’

RSS Partner Links

  • Beyonce Was Late To The Grammys And Still Made History As The Artist With The Most Awards Ever
  • Stars Banned From 'Saturday Night Live'
  • OMG have you heard: Tom Brady touches himself
  • Alan Cumming celebrates his birthday!
  • Chris Brown Lost Last Night’s “Best R&B Album” Grammy to Robert Glasper, And Unsurprisingly, Acted Like A Sore Loser
  • Harry Styles Won Album Of The Year At The 2023 Grammys And Some People Are Shocked
  • Tom Brady Strips Down to His Underwear to Keep a Promise He Made on Social Media

Most Recent

  • Grammy Awards: Men’s fashion steals the red carpet in stereotype-shattering style

    Grammy Awards: Men’s fashion steals the red carpet in stereotype-shattering style

  • New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds

    New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds

  • Trevor Noah pokes fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis

    Trevor Noah pokes fun at Prince Harry’s frostbitten penis

  • Key winners at music industry’s 2023 Grammy Awards

    Key winners at music industry’s 2023 Grammy Awards

  • Sam Smith and Kim Petras scoop Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy

    Sam Smith and Kim Petras scoop Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy

  • Beyonce makes history at Grammys with 32 wins

    Beyonce makes history at Grammys with 32 wins

  • Hong Kong court makes landmark ruling protecting transgender rights

    Hong Kong court makes landmark ruling protecting transgender rights

  • Beyonce breaks all-time Grammy wins record, Harry Styles claims album prize

    Beyonce breaks all-time Grammy wins record, Harry Styles claims album prize

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×