My Review

1 out of 10 stars
HOMOPHOBIA in CLAPHAM COMMON

This is the first review I ever write, and am only doing so because I am so outraged and upset that this kind of behavior can still happen.. firstly in London, and secondly in a gay-friendly area such as Clapham Common.

My partner and I were enjoying a coffee sitting close to each other and holding hands when we were approached by a waitress who told us that she did not have a problem with us being gay, but that some of the clients might be offended and that it would be appreciated if we could be more discreet.
If we were behaving in the same manner but were a heterosexual couple no one would have blinked twice, but the fact that we are a same-sex couple seems to have bothered the waiting staff enough for them to confront us about it. If in fact a client had complained, then still the waiting staff should be mature enough to know how to handle the situation better – but the fact that they felt they were in the right to approach us suggesting that we do not sit so close to each other and hold hands must surely mean that to them we were in the wrong.

We were in no way breaking the law, we were in no way stepping out of any social etiquette in terms of public displays of affection – this is purely homophobia and lack of management skills.

The coffee was fine, but the staff’s behavior killed the mood for us and we promptly made our way out as we were obviously not welcome; only because two men who care for each other can’t be affectionate with each other in public in the most accepting city in the world.