There is a kiss cam at every professional sporting event. Having the crowd members kiss on the big screen fills the empty time and also keeps people engaged. However, it can also be something that attendees find gross and pressuring, especially if they don’t want to kiss.
At the Pink Out football game, a cardboard “Kiss Cam” was made and used by the RAHS student section. Controlled by the Super Fans, the Kiss Cam had different students come to the front and kiss for the crowd.
This tradition has been around for years, but that doesn’t mean that all students think it’s fun. Freshman Isla Scarcello said, “[some students] didn’t feel comfortable kissing each other but they were feeling pressured because there were people saying, ‘No you have to!’ I definitely thought it was a little weird.”
Junior Adelaide Marr said “we’re all teenagers, and we’re already so insecure, and the kiss cam makes many people feel uncomfortable.”
Both Scarcello and Marr think the kiss cam is non inclusive. Scarcello said, “what if the people in the front aren’t attracted to the other gender? And why is their no LGBTQ people in the kiss cam?”
Other RAHS students, who chose to speak off the record, agreed that the lack of queer inclusivity makes them disappointed in the student section.
Marr thinks that there is not enough representation of the diversity of the RAHS community. She said, “our school has so many people, and only a few are being displayed.”
Senior Soren Klarqvist said, “I didn’t even know there was peer pressure going on, but that makes the whole thing less fun.”
However, not all students think that the Kiss Cam is a negative experience. Junior Amrutha Konienda said, “I am thoroughly entertained by the kiss cam- but I wouldn’t kiss anybody on it!”
Other members of the student section think the Kiss Cam is amazing. Senior Natalie Horsman thinks it’s one of the best traditions of the year, and said, “I love seeing who’s kissing who- and getting the list leaked early.”
As for what the administration thinks, the Athletic Director, Andrea Schmidt, said, “I’m comfortable with it as long as it’s all consenting students. The last thing I want is for students to feel uncomfortable or pressured when they’re at something that’s supposed to be fun.”
The kiss cam tradition can be a fun experience at football games, but it can also be very stressful and uncomfortable for students. It is up the the RAHS student section to keep the stands a fun, safe, and inclusive place for all crowd members.
