Gay Men Now Plastered on Subway Cars

My girlfriend and I were taking the subway home one night when we saw an unexpected ad. Two African American men stood with their arms around each other under phrase “i love my boo.” Suddenly, we weren’t the only queer people on the subway — we had the support of an organization, and of one gay couple willing to stand up and publicly fight for LGBT recognition.

After the recent anti-gay hate crimes in the Bronx, Greenwich Village and Chelsea, some LGBT people might be feeling a bit isolated and perhaps even fearful in their own neighborhoods. A New York-based organization, theGay Men’s Health Crisis, launched the “I Love My Boo” subway campaign to combat homophobia — and hopefully to help make LGBT people feel more comfortable.

The campaign will put posters up in 1,000 subway cars and 150 subway stations. The posters depict gay relationships among black and Latino men, and each poster carries a message: “We’re about trust, respect and commitment. We’re proud of who we are and how we love.”

Much like any LGBT-related campaign, the posters have faced some criticism. Some people argue that they don’t want their children seeing these posters on the subway. But the campaign was carefully designed to render those objections as nothing short of ridiculous.

Posters with two men kissing were only displayed in gay bars. The posters shown on the subway show the men with their arms around each other. Considering that straight couples are shown being affectionate on plenty of advertisements around the city, there’s little excuse for parents to object to their children seeing gay men being affectionate with one another.

The campaign will be a big plus for LGBT people — both those who haven’t come out and those who are living openly. The posters encourage LGBT people to be comfortable with their sexuality. And for those who are already comfortable with who they are, it’s a pleasant reminder that we aren’t alone.

Photo credit: gothamist