Historic lesbian kiss at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The lesbian kiss at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade caused a stir (nbc)
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has featured seemingly its first ever lesbian kiss on live TV.
The passionate embrace, which took place during a performance of “Build a Prom” from new Broadway musical The Prom, was broadcast by NBC to an estimated audience of 50 million people who tuned in for the annual parade through the streets of New York City.
Multiple same-sex partners also danced together during the number from The Prom, which is about a queer teenager in Indiana whose high school prom is cancelled after the authorities find out she wants to bring her girlfriend to the event.
The lesbian kiss, as seen from above (NBC)
The lesbian kiss prompted passionate responses
The heartwarming moment, which as far as we can tell marked the first same-sex kiss of any kind to be shown from the parade, came during an event which is a staple in many families’ Thanksgiving Day routines.
This may be why it provoked a range of reactions, from happy astonishment to snarling outrage.
“TWENTY GAY TEEN REALLY IS REAL WE STAN PROM THE MUSICAL”
— @finestintheshop
One indignant viewer wrote that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade “has totally went to the crapper with a lesbian kiss on national TV while millions of children watch two women make out on a Thanksgiving.”
They told parents: “DONT LET KIDS WATCH THIS STUFF!!!! Boycott #Macy’s this was a total #abomination!!!”
“DONT LET KIDS WATCH THIS STUFF!!!! Boycott #Macy’s this was a total #abomination!!!” (extrmlifechager/twitter)
And another hater tweeted: “What a horrible start to Macy parade. NBC and Macy’s should be ashamed of displaying a Lesbian kiss. This is why we do not watch NBC or shop at Macy’s. Not thankful for this.”
But they were drowned out by the countless viewers who loved seeing the kiss.
One such fan wrote: “that cute ass lesbian kiss on the Macy’s parade has me crying at 9am,” while another said: “WE JUST GOT A LESBIAN KISS ON THE F**KING MACY’S PARADE???? TWENTY GAY TEEN REALLY IS REAL WE STAN PROM THE MUSICAL.”
The moment prompted one tweeter to matter-of-factly announce their life debt to the department store, writing: “Macy’s jus aired a lesbian kiss in front of millions of people in their thanksgiving day parade I guess I owe Macy’s my life now huh.”
“Hell yeah, I hope all the homophobes are screamingggg ” (bellajannette/twitter)
Another commenter made an important point, saying they were thankful that “the beautiful lesbian kiss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just showed front and centre instead of conveniently panning away.”
One user responded to the kiss by writing: “Hell yeah, I hope all the homophobes are screamingggg .”
In a similar vein, many people were delighted that their anti-gay relatives had to sit through such a glorious display of queer pride.
“My homophobic relatives are shaking” (Twitter)
NBC has a history of showing live gay kisses
This wasn’t the first time NBC has shown a historic live same-sex embrace.
The US broadcaster’s coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics included a kiss between openly gay US skier Gus Kenworthy and his partner, Matthew Wilkas, which prompted a mass celebration on social media.
It was just a peck on the lips, but the fact that it took place on NBC, live on primetime network TV, in front of tens of millions internationally, made it historic.
Gus Kenworthy kisses his boyfriend Matthew Wilkas (NBC)
The broadcaster attracted praise for treating the moment as a run-of-the-mill expression of affection, with the NBC commentator simply introducing viewers to Kenworthy’s “boyfriend, Matt Wilkas.”
Kenworthy, who came out in 2015, the year after the previous Winter Olympics, explained that the kiss was “something that I wanted at the last Olympics,” adding that he had been “too scared” at the time.
The skier said that “to be able to do that, to give him a kiss, to have that affection broadcasted for the world is incredible.”
Watch the wonderful lesbian kiss here:
