TQS StaffHome » Featured, News & Comment
18 January 2011 No Comment
The promoter of London’s G-A-Y Jeremey Joseph caused controversy by saying straight girls were not welcome at the upcoming performance of the X-Factor’s One Direction. He tweeted:
“My birthday wish is for little girls to realise that G-A-Y is a lesbian and gay club so there’s only one direction and that’s no direction for them”.
And
“hoping the name G-A-Y, isnt too Subtle???? It’s G-A-Y not Str8″
The gay blogosphere reacted almost immediately and unanimously against Joseph’s heterophobic (is that even a word!?) standpoint. I have to admit I am also completely against his comments and can’t help but feel a community which has long been excluded should comprehensively make others feel included.
Several of the so-called gay super-clubs check ‘gay-credentials’ in order to prevent straight people from being admitted. One of my straight-male friends once came to such a club with me for a birthday night out and was quizzed on the door on gay culture and even asked to kiss a guy, in the end we decided to go somewhere else despite him ‘passing’ their test. The vast majority of gay people would be outraged if the situation were reversed so why should we be allowed to do it?
Naturally gay venues have a responsibility to first-and-foremost cater to its gay visitors and some have remarked that gay clubs can be abandoned when they are seen to become ‘too straight’. Gay venues are havens, a place where gay people can be with their community in a safe environment, I agree whole-heartedley with this sentiment but being anti-straight is a form of self-ostracization and ultimately would provoke animosity from both groups. A fine balance obviously has to be struck but striving for this balance rather than being discriminatory is in my opinion surely the way to go.
Jamie McHale
Related posts:
