Comments on: Amsterdam winners may get kisses from gay men, not girls

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:05:59 +0000

haha. Good old Netherlands.

By: Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:46:32 +0000

Cute. I actually really like this idea. Seems so silly and unimportant, but it would make me smile to see heteronormativity done away with, even if only at the podium of a cycle race. I hope they do it!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:34:49 +0000

Trust our Dutch Cousins to come up with that one; they do have Queens Day aferall!

By: John

John — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:51:43 +0000

Where did I leave my bike…

By: J Mathews

J Mathews — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:21:54 +0000

All this male on male kissing sounds like a good idea.

Good old Amsterdam.

By: Carvero

Carvero — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:35:51 +0000

RobN, you can smoke tobacco in coffeeshops. You have to go through a glass door into a seperate room the staff can’t enter.

The Dutch are sensible about these things.

By: BenB

BenB — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:27:38 +0000

It’s not supposed to have any relevance other than show how liberal the city is. Of course the kisses aren’t sexual, and don’t mean anything. The winner and kissers will likely never meet again. The point is showing that in Amsterdam they’ve transcended heteronormativity. It’ll probably never happen, but it was worth raising, just to increase awareness.

By: Niki

Niki — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:16:35 +0000

The hkisses are not about sex. So why would a Gay man reject good natured kisses from the women, as is the tradition?

By: Rose

Rose — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:35:39 +0000

when you consider real problems gay people have all over the world, this isn’t terribly important, mind you.

Though I can’t help wondering why the sexuality of a cyclist in a race is common knowledge. Is it a requirement on the application form?

By: flapjack

flapjack — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:01:24 +0000

I’m free!

By: RobN

RobN — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:05:53 +0000

Hollnad. The only country where you can legally spliff up in public, but you are banned from putting tobacco in it.
The world is going PC nuts.

By: Squidgy

Squidgy — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:54:40 +0000

Oooo Cheeky!

By: Simon Murphy

Simon Murphy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:48:44 +0000

I was arrested in Amsterdam.

What horrific crime had I committed I hear you ask.

Well to my eternal shame I cycled through an orange light.

I still have nightmares. The guilt will just not subside.

Perhaps I should go to conversion therapy. I need to become a law-abiding citizen.

By: Riondo

Riondo — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:01:45 +0000

I just love the Dutch!

By: Carvero

Carvero — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:21:39 +0000

Why not have both, a woman and a gay man kiss either cheeck?!

By: Simon Murphy

Simon Murphy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:56:46 +0000

“Usually, the winner of the Amsterdam leg of the famous cycle race Giro d’Italia stands on a podium surrounded by women in miniskirts who kiss him. Instead, a politician in the liberal city has argued that gay men should enjoy the honour of congratulating winners.”

Or… how about no-one kissing the winners? Why objectify anyone – female or male – to reward some cyclists?