Two Boys Kissing

While it is Craig, and not Harry, who spearheads the Big Kiss project, Craig is also the one whose family is unaware that he’s gay. Craig’s longstanding closeted status thus contrasts starkly with the bold publicity his project entails, but his motivations are complex. He imagines that breaking the world record will soften the blow of coming out to his family, and that breaking the record might even make them proud. These hopes are dashed.

Other motivations behind the project include Craig’s persisting feelings for his ex-boyfriend, and he secretly hopes that the Big Kiss will rekindle the romance. However, he is initially inspired to attempt the world record after hearing about the hate crime that Tariq survived; he wants to raise awareness and acceptance of queer love, and these altruistic political intentions are no less sincere for Craig’s other, concurrent motivations. Will all these converging desires, he believes that the kiss, and the prestige that comes from it, will magically change his life. He hopes that the kiss will bring his boyfriend back, that the kiss will make his family supportive, and that the world will move toward acceptance of other people’s orientations. The kiss, for the character, holds a threefold significance: passion, acceptance, and transformation.