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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!denelcor!rob
From: rob@denelcor.UUCP (Rob Wahl)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Separatism
Message-ID: <276@denelcor.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Jan-84 20:59:49 EST
Article-I.D.: denelcor.276
Posted: Fri Jan 20 20:59:49 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Jan-84 22:58:41 EST
Organization: Denelcor, Aurora, CO
Lines: 19

I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with separatism in gay bars.  I enjoy
seeing a wide variety of people in the bars I frequent, and it makes me
particularly angry to see women refused admission to gay bars.  God knows
there are few enough places where gays and lesbians interact, and the gay
community tends to be insular.  I also feel that the bars thrive on the
stereotypes many of us are trying to transcend.

On the other hand, I resent it when straight couples start frequenting gay
bars.  Rarely do they mix; they stand safely in their pairs or clusters and
observe from a distance, as it were.  Often they throw disapproving looks
to the overtly gay (we didn't come here to watch guys neck, we came because
we heard it was a great place to dance).  And once enough of them start
coming, cruising becomes difficult.  Consequently the gays leave to find a
more hospitable place, and the bar dies.  I have seen too many great bars
bite the dust because of straight invasion.  Perhaps I wouldn't mind so
much if they made me feel welcome in *their* bars.

Robert Wahl
{hao,allegra,brl-bmd}!denelcor!rob