What happens when you try to stage a gay massage demonstration in the window of a New York City sex shop? Apparently, the police shut it down, and the organizers cry discrimination. At least that's what happened last Friday at the Blue Store in Chelsea, after a complaint was called into the local precinct.
When the officer demanded that they shut down the demonstration, he issued no summons and could not tell the organizers what law's they were specifically breaking. He claimed that the permit was needed, because the display caused a "sidewalk obstruction". According to reports, there were only fifteen onlookers.
Though the massage was considered "erotic", it included no simulated sex, nudity or lewdness. Basically, it was (allegedly) no more risque than the Blue Store's usual window displays, which are often crowded with scantily clad porn stars. Either way, the store's owner claims that he didn't realize how racy the demonstration would be, and he's now worried that the police will be watching his store. So what do you think–was this discrimination or just poor planning by the organizers?
– Dewitt
Photo credit: kenneth in the (212)
To see more pictures from the massage, follow the JUMP:
Cause NYC=Disneyland since the Rudy years…lame.
I certainly hope the ACLU has been brought into this circus. Summoned – but non specific charges? Starting to sound like Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia/USSR to me.
I think it was bad planning on the organizers part I mean although the man is getting a message it’s n the window of a gay sex shop…… Hello 2 scantly clad guys n the window of a gay sex shop !!!!
If it was a women wearing underwear massageing another women in underwear, im sure there would have been no issue. This shows double standards, since the officer couldn’t give them any specific charges. There was no nudity and there was to sex acts so this would be legal.
This is just giving the public more things to bitch about in the gay community. The homophobics are running out of things to do. So now men can get massages by other men. The NYPD I thought had better things to do instead of wasting their time. I mean if no laws where broken then the operation itself should not have been shut down. I mean there was no sex acts and no nudity. Wow just because it was in the window at a gay sex shop it is considered crude? I am willing to bet the onlookers that walked by were majority gay men. I mean I just don’t understand the big deal. This country is too fucked up anymore.
Discrimination or poor planning? Neither. It’s a good example of how most Americans harken back to sex phobic puritanical roots when push comes to shove. People need to relax!
Once again a big city like new york is still discriminating against gays in this day and age its like were are back ware we were in the stonewall days people forget that we all bleed the same color and that we all are created equal its calles civil rights