Did you know this famous image is not what it seems?

[Smashingdoozy]

We've seen this image as an act of romance on V-J day in times square. The picture has been the poster picture for American romance. But in reality? This was a totally unconsenting kiss. Two strangers. One being held against her will.

[Amy10223]

I saw something on television about this photo. The soldier in the pciture was so happy to be home, and in the crowd of people he was in, took the first person he met in the crowd and kissed her. Many think she was his sweetheart he had left behind, but no, she was a stranger.

[Marshymallow]

Yeah pretty sure every HS literature/English class talked about this. Dude forcefully dragged an unknown lady and kissed her, someone took a picture and it got published in a magazine as “Romantic”.

[Anonymous]

It was the end of WWII. Excuse me if I kissed you and didn't ask first. You have no CLUE what was going on at that time, and it was a kiss. He didn't rip her clothes off. If a female had done that to a random guy, you wouldn't be objecting. Fuck you doozy

[Smashingdoozy]

I would actually.

[NamerOfStars]

Not quite. It was two strangers, one being held against her will, one celebrating no longer being held against his.

[dustybiker]

Pretty much.

[Smashingdoozy]

Doesn't make it ok

[dustybiker]

@Smashingdoozy It wasn’t.

[NamerOfStars]

No, it doesn't, but it gives an important sense of the perspective to the idea that being forcibly kissed is somehow morally equivalent to being forcibly shipped off to struggle and die for abstract political ideals.

[FunkyMonkee]

And, ya know what? She lived to talk about it!! It was only a kiss and she understood what it was for. No harm done.

In today's world of snowflakes, if you so much as LOOK at some piece of pussy she's taking you to court and tossing your ass in jail!!

"Gee, why don't guys approach me anymore?"

[Crafteroon]

Yeah, it was talked about on QI. Apparently she wasn't pleased about the forced kiss, and they met again decades later when the photo was investigated.

[maximumpower]

You have the answer? Then by all means, go and charge him with rape.
Information on that one is well documented, by the way. You should have no problem finding them.
Good luck with that case, tho.

[Smashingdoozy]

Just informing people that this was not an act of romance. No need to get so repubcrazy about it

[NathanDavis]

yes, I knew about it...

it actually represents America... and many other country with reserves of oil, lol...

[exitseven]

I have read different accounts of this photo over the years. I knew it was not what it seems but I did not know that there were sinister motives behind it.

[TonyMetal___86]

What makes you sure that this kiss was against her will? Did you ask the girl in this balck and white picture? 😂

I think that she's enjoying the kiss 😌

[Smashingdoozy]

She literally said.

[TonyMetal___86]

Who knows maybe yes and maybe no, no one knows the real story, anyways aren't they dead by now cause the picture looks like it was taken in the 50's

[Smashingdoozy]

Who knows? We know because she talked about it... Nobody paid any attention to her saying it at the time. She was on her lunch break watching the parade and a man grabbed her and kisses her.

[TonyMetal___86]

So what? Is it a bad thing if he kissed her?

[Smashingdoozy]

Against her will yes. He even apologized for it later in life...

[TonyMetal___86]

If that's true than i agree with you cause a man can grab a random girl and kiss her on her lips just like that, that's totally unacceptable!

She ain't his wife to kiss her anytime he wants!

[Exterminatore]

She’s lucky he was a sailor. If he was a Marine he would have celebrated with impromptu anal sex with her…. and all her friends…. and 2 of their mothers.

[Sarahslater3738]

Truuuuuuuuuu

[Nadim171]

Or if he was Titus Pullo of the 13th legion.

[Exterminatore]

@nadim

Yessssss….. Titus Pullo also.

[Nadim171]

Yeah Lol

[Anonymous]

Tbh seeing the photo it doesn't look like the romanticised thing it's portrayed as. The guys hold looks to forceful and that and from my film based knowledge only usually when kissing both parties tend to wrap there hands about each other.

[Smashingdoozy]

Yeah I'm not sure how anyone saw it as romantic. It looks so uncomfortable

[Opinion Owner]

Yeah body language really was showing the truth there. But tbh there are many things around that era that were glossed over like the war crimes generally commited by the allies but it's overlooked due to the Nazis and the red army. But unfortunately the truth will always be tried to be covered up as it's not nice.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t see her resisting in the photo, she probably liked being kissed by a sailor, women didn’t act like crazy feminist back then, they actually liked their role in society back then

[Smashingdoozy]

You can clearly see she is resisting

[Opinion Owner]

I think she is trying to keep her balance not resisting

[Smashingdoozy]

The guy is forcefully holding her. It's pretty clear it's not romantic.

[Opinion Owner]

It’s surprising to her but she isn’t pushing away from him, this is a very famous picture, I’m sure she was asked about and famous because of it

[jengeorge26]

I saw it on the cover of LOOK magazine after World War II

[BLP11520]

I remember LOOK and other magazines like that.

[MrTaboo]

Even the photographer doesn't know who they were. He just took the picture. All stories about those two are speculation.

[msc545]

How would you know she is being held against her will? Did you ask her?

[Smashingdoozy]

She talked about it...

[msc545]

when and to whom and what did she say?

[Smashingdoozy]

"Ms Friedman had been working as a dental assistant in an office in Times Square during the war. She stepped outside to see why people were celebrating, and suddenly found herself being embraced by sailor George Mendonsa."

She's quoted saying in 2005 :
“I felt that he was very strong, He was just holding me tight. I’m not sure about the kiss… it was just somebody celebrating. It wasn’t a romantic event. It was just an event of ‘thank god the war is over’”.

“It wasn’t my choice to be kissed,”
“The guy just came over and grabbed!”

[msc545]

sounds harmless.

[Anonymous]

This is consistent with what I've heard about that photo.

[Mark987]

I saw it San Diego personally.. not sure if it's true. but still very nice

[Nadim171]

How do you know? Lol

She has nice shoes though

[Smashingdoozy]

Look at the picture... Plus she talked about it

[Nadim171]

She did? Well the picture doesn't really show anything, it could be that he just took her by surprise and she resisted because she didn't anticipate it but I don't know. This wouldn't have sit well in that day and age.

[Smashingdoozy]

So... It was forced and not consenting

[Nadim171]

If your boyfriend basically surprises you with an unanticipated kiss you would propbaly resist because you Just didn't anticipate it. Not because you don't want him to kiss you

[Smashingdoozy]

But we are talking about two strangers

[Nadim171]

Tbh it doesn't look like she really was bothered in her interview. After all it made her Hella famous. If she was really bothered her family would have propbaly beat his ass.

[Smashingdoozy]

She understood why he did it, she acted like she wasn't bothered because she would have been blasted if she was.

[Twalli]

How did you come to this conclusion?

[Smashingdoozy]

Conclusion? It's facts.

[Twalli]

Based on?

[Smashingdoozy]

What the woman herself said...

[Twalli]

Where? Show me proof.

[Deathraider]

I’m not surprised.

[duttyjamagyal]

Tbh it does look unconsenting...

[BLP11520]

Really? okay then

[Xtendable]

Don’t you just love snapshot perspectives