Ottawa - Guerilla Gay Fare takes over straight bar

[TheNevan60]

Some things never change...I was part of Queer Nation in Ottawa 20 years ago and we did this too but after a while it felt like we were a curiousity or circus freaks to the straight people..none of the bar owners cared.. gay money smells the same as straight money. Maybe it's a function of maturity or age, but I stopped identifying myself solely as queer or gay..it's one PART of who I am, not ALL of me. I've had far more of an impression on people by just honestly being myself and true to myself

[ssballs]

Good for you guys,gals and in betweens.

[raybinns]

Im sure the owner was livid an extra100 customers buying drinks who'd care what their sexual orientation is money in the till is money in the till. hell if I had a club I'd intentionally rib a few homosexuals just so they stage this kind of demonstration. And isn't the term queers politically incorrect?

[velocity246]

I'm not sure I agree with this. If it is done without an agenda then that is fine. But if straight clubs have a dress code, then you have to follow it. All clubs have a certain dress code that you have to follow - it is not necessarily homophobic. And again, if a bunch of straight people came into a gay bar, I'm sure the staff wouldn't treat them that well either. We can't just criticize straight clubs and not gay clubs.

[niamhsnothere]

The only way straight people wouldn't be treated that well in a gay bar was if they stared at/touched the girls, or made any homophobic remarks. But i agree dress code has to be followed, just because you're gay doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the rules of a club!

[TSXboy26]

they are doing this in Houston its awesome!!

[ultraone73]

just wondering if your gay your gay but why should the dress code be any differnt just cause your gay ?? i mean we have be respectfull and obey the dress codes and don't go to bars shirtless what is one trying to prove by doing so ?

[Gulfporter]

... Part of this shift was that the gay men's girlfriends were aging out of the night life, while the gay men played on. Some of them still are. The good news is that it seems the younger folks are trying to avoid the "gay bar" v "straight bar" thing, but this time it's primarily straight bars accepting a gay presence rather than the other way around.

I also agree with the guy who said, "It shakes things up." Whether we're talking about gay or straight night life, shaking things up is good.

[ColonelCognitional]

This is great wisdom! I had no idea that it unfolded like this. Thanks for enlightening me. :)

[Gulfporter]

....continued.... straight men don't. Exceptions abound, of course. The smart straight guys had figured out that gay dance clubs were great places to meet women. And it worked out pretty well. Friday night was "get laid night" for gay men, and Saturday night was party night. Then gay men got way too serious about getting laid, and they started going to the men-only bars all the time. In my opinion, the nightlife got too serious and stopped being about having fun. .... cont

[ColonelCognitional]

I'm bisexual and I think that people of all sexual orientations deserve the exact same rights. But I'm not sure if I agree with this "Guerilla Gayfare." Imagine the outrage if a bunch of straight people took over a gay bar. Why does being gay give you the right to take over straight bars?

[Gulfporter]

I think that there are a couple of ways of looking at it. If it takes a hostile or political tone, as a couple people in the video suggested, then it shouldn't be done. If it's done for fun and has a side benefit then I'm OK with it.

Back in 1978 at the height (and night before the death) of Disco, the absolute best dance clubs in the US were gay clubs with large numbers of straight people, especially women. It's sort of a natural because as a rule straight women love to dance, and .... cont

[tattypatty]

Why go to Tila Tequila? It sucks.

[NathanielChristopher]

I hope this idea catches on...