Members of UF's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs joined hands for a cause on Valentine's Day.
Dozens of members of the group, known as LGBT, attended the 8th annual Same-Sex Hand-Holding Day on Turlington Plaza Thursday.
Nora Spencer, director of LGBT, said UF's Dean of Students Office sponsored the event to provide members of the homosexual community a chance to show love in public free of criticism or danger.
Wilton Mui, an environmental engineering junior, said being gay and single narrows down the options for a place to celebrate Valentine's Day, so the event was perfect for him.
"Valentine's Day is predominantly hetero-normative," Mui said. "All the commercials you see focus on heterosexual couples, but we celebrate the holiday, too."
Tiffany Richards, a UF sophomore, said she viewed Same-Sex Hand-Holding Day in a new light since her attendance last year.
In fall 2007, Richards and her girlfriend of the time were holding hands on campus when a man shouted, "That's disgusting," she said.
"I always took other people's acceptance of my lifestyle for granted," she said. "But after that experience, I really appreciate holding hands in a place free from discrimination."
Spencer said society has a long way to go to overcome a historic discrimination of gays.
"Luckily, I have never experienced the violent attacks for my sexuality that many others have," she said.
Junior Lofton, the cross-wearing, Bible-wielding preacher usually found on Turlington Plaza, did not attend the event.
Days before, Lofton said he loves homosexuals in the same way he loves the drug addicts.
"They don't have a disease," he said. "They deliberately chose to sin, and I can help them deliberately choose to stop."
Sean McCaughan, an art history junior, said he does not take Turlington preachers seriously.
"Yeah, I made out with a guy right in front of him before," McCaughan said. "It made me proud."
