LA Daily News: 8 men arrested for suspected sex in Manhattan Beach restroom
When I read this about a week or so ago, it made me sick. I felt then like I did as a young teenager in Wisconsin when I’d read the names of men caught in park restrooms, subsequently published for all to see in the Milwaukee Journal.
In the 60s – 70s, having something like that done to you really would literally ruin your life – you’d easily lose your job, your family, your friends — everything.
Let’s just take a deep breath and realize a couple of things: 1) these men haven’t been convicted of anything. 2) If they were having public sex, which is a crime, it is a victimless one, often involving police entrapment. 3) If these were man/woman couples having public sex (say, on the beach or in a car, etc.) do you think we’d be seeing their pictures in mug shots in the newspaper? No, I don’t think so, either.
I don’t condone public sex. People of any persuasion should be discreet about that, for many reasons. But the overreaction of this Manhattan Beach Police Department and the media involved in publicizing these arrests smacks clearly of a same-sex double standard. Another question the residents of that town might ask is if this is the best use for the money they’re spending on police protection.
As one man in the story says, “you’ve completely ruined my life.” He’s right. My dream would be they get all charges dropped then sue the Manhattan Beach Police so that little homophobic community by the sea goes bankrupt.