In an attempt to test the reception of same-sex couple in the society, BBC Three Counties radio presenters Iain Lee and Justin Dealey held hands as they walked down the street in a social experiment.

Published on YouTube on Jan. 7, the video of the social experiment titled “Iain Lee and Justin Dealey experience homophobic abuse” reached more than 170,000 views on its fourth day. The three-and-a-half-minute clip shows how Lee and Dealey experienced homophobic abuse first-hand.

As the pair walked hand-in-hand down Luton Street, residents gave them strange looks and made comments. The reactions they got, were quite different from the more enlightened reception that they expected.

The social experiment was inspired by the two radio DJ’s caller to their show who claimed to be a victim of homophobic abuse in Luton. In the video, Dealey says, “We’ve walked about three or four minutes and we’ve had looks. We’ve definitely had looks.”

In the latter part of the video, Lee and Dealey interview a teenage boy who apparently made a negative remark when he saw them. The boy says, “‘I thought it was disgusting. I just think it’s wrong for two men. I just think it’s disgusting in my opinion.”
Watch “Iain Lee and Justin Dealey experience homophobic abuse” here:

Credits: YouTube/BBC Three Counties Radio

For questions/comments regarding the article, you may email the writer at c.altatis@ibtimes.com.au.