A Day In Hand

Openly gay former London mayoral candidate Brian Paddick is heading a campaign that encourages gay couples in Britain to hold hands in public.

The campaign, called “A Day in Hand” has received the backing of a number of celebrities in an attempt to allow gay people to feel more comfortable in public. Mr Paddick who was the most senior openly gay police officer in London and stared in ITV reality contest I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here said: "It's only natural that couples want to hold hands in public but being concerned about how others (and the media) might react means we don't often do it as much as we'd like. This campaign will help people to become more accepting of same sex public displays of affection." Photographs of couples holding hands are be used to create a "same-sex love map" of the world. A Day In Hand founder David Watkins said: "equal rights are a necessity but we need equal respect too. When push comes to shove, love.

Learn more about A Day In Hand here. The campaign launches on May 17th, the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO).