May 31, 2007
Should Straight People Be Allowed in Gay Bars?
David Goulart READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Hear me out before you rush to judgment on today's topic which is "Should Straight People Be Allowed in Gay Bars?"
Is it okay for a gay bar owner to refuse service to someone because they are straight or is that just a form of reverse discrimination? Let's consider these recent stories to get some perspective:
Gay Aussie hotel wins right to ban heterosexuals, lesbians
"The hotel predominantly markets itself towards homosexual males, towards gay men and we want to protect the integrity of the venue as well as continue to make the men feel comfortable," McFeely said. "When large numbers of heterosexuals or even lesbians are in the hotel that changes the atmosphere and many gay men can feel uncomfortable." Summary: The owner won the right because straight people (and sadly some lesbians as well) came in to physically and verbally assault the gay male patrons. Is it wrong to give gay men just one place in the entire region to feel safe and protected?
Woman files human rights complaint against Montreal gay bar that bans women.
Audrey Vachon said Wednesday she was recently refused service at Le Stud in Montreal" s="" gay="" village="" after="" sitting="" down="" with="" her="" father="" for="" a="" quiet="" afternoon="" pint.="" A="" waiter="" came="" over="" and="" told="" her="" father,="" Gilles,="" that="" the="" bar="" does="" not="" serve="" women.="" "On="" the="" spot="" I="" didn't="" believe="" it,="" I="" thought="" it="" was="" a="" bad="" joke,''="" Vachon="" said.="" "I="" didn't="" say="" a="" word="" until="" I'd="" left.="" I="" was="" too="" shocked.="" I="" was="" embarrassed,="" I="" was="" humiliated,="" I="" felt="" guilty="" that="" I'd="" even="" gone="" there,="" like="" I'd="" done="" something="" wrong.''=""
Summary: This women is obviously gay friendly as she was with her gay dad and just wanted to spend some time with him. I have been to this bar personally and must say that I do like the fact that it is all male but on the flip side I have female friends(Susan, Laura, Maureen--they read this blog, lol), my mom (totally loves the gays!), and my mom-in-law (also loves the gays, lol) that I can imagine having a blast with stuffing dollar bills down the undies of some male dancer.
Okay, everyone I want to hear YOUR opinion
Is it okay for us to discriminate when we work so hard for acceptance or is it our right to have one bar (out of thousands of straight bars) that we can call OUR OWN?
David Goulart
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