Van Hansis (Luke) and Jake Silbermann (Noah)  
 
  We just read an interesting news item that gives us a glimmer of hope, even if it may appear insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Viewers of CBS' long-running daytime As The World Turns are protesting to the network about the much talked about its gay plotline. The good news is that the protest is over the fact that the two gay characters HAVEN'T kissed!

  For months now the gay press including a myriad of blogs have been abuzz over the soap opera romance between ATWT characters Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer. The plotline has developed very methodically since last summer and it's been handled in a very mature and realistic fashion. Gay viewers have obviously been impatient with this pace but perhaps because it's been slowly developed that so-called mainstream viewers of the show have had time to get to know (and accept) this idea of gay male characters in love. 

 But this latest twist is a happy surprise. Apparently fans want the two guys to kiss again---it's been over five months since they last locked lips --which is an eternity to those who watch soaps every day. So the question remains as to why there hasn't been more kissing. Is it the network or the sponsors who are walking on eggshells? Are they worried about backlash from right-wing groups? 

 With all the promiscuous sex, adultery, murder and mayhem that the soap operas have served up to viewers over the years to boost their sagging ratings, a gay kiss sure seems rather minor of a plot device. There have also been hefty amounts of outrageous sci-fi, horror and supernatural plot devices injected into these shows over the years so it's happily ironic that something as simple and sweet as a gay romance could be the thing that works.