Now, don’t get me wrong: I love bringing a straight companion with me sometimes, so of course I’m not demanding you leave your hetero sidekicks back home. No one is trying to masc up at the bars or talk quietly about gay politics in cafes. No one wants to decipher who’s gay or not before striking up a flirty conversation. You’re sharing this space with a whole gaggle of gays. Next time you go to a queer space, especially a bar, remember you’re not there alone. Until our idealistic, equal world becomes a reality, we need to protect our safe spaces. Many queer people still feel uncomfortable around an all-straight crowd, and some straight people still act violently towards LGBTQIA+ folks, especially toward trans people. We’re still not legally protected in every sense, and don’t even get me started on the atrocities that happen to international gays. However, we need to remember that although we’ve made progress in obtaining equality, we still don’t fully have it. Sure, this may sound a bit hypocritical, especially considering most of these outsiders mean no harm. No, I don’t think this is what we want, nor do I think it’s fair.
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Here’s the T: The queer community is being displaced and is going through a social gentrification.īut isn’t this what we want? Don’t we want equality? Isn’t it only fair to let them in our spaces if we want to be in theirs? The worst part is that many straight people don’t even recognize what they’re doing because they don’t know the history of these spaces. At C’mon Everybody, I feel weird dancing with other guys unless it’s specifically a gay party. To find a seat at Outpost, a once popular queer café, I first have to sift through a sea of straights. In Brooklyn, some of my favorite queer spaces have either closed or turned into hetero hangouts. It’s our cafes, bookstores and neighborhoods that are endangered. It’s not only bars disappearing all of our spaces are on a decline. Often times, it seems they don’t understand that this isn’t an act it’s our culture. Sometimes, however, it may feel like they invade our spaces for the novelty. They say they don’t feel threatened by gay men. They sashay their way to us with their bachelorette crowns and selfie game faces because they want a real life RuPaul experience. No, I’m talking about straight women who come to our bars, sometimes without the accompaniment of a queer person. I don’t mean gay or queer women, who may actually feel threatened at some gay bars.
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You can barely go to a gay bar these days that’s not flooded with herds of women. In exchange for being a part of the straight world, they expect to be a part of ours. While we knock down borders and claim our right to equal opportunities, we find ourselves in a bit of a predicament. So what happens if our spaces disappear? We need to recognize this potential reality.
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That’s why it’s nice to go to a queer space, where we feel protected and free. Unfortunately, there’s still a good chunk of hate out there. The world is certainly changing, but let’s not kid ourselves into believing it has completely changed, sweeties. Parents are supporting young boys by buying them makeup and dolls. Trans people are earning positions of power in politics.
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“RuPaul’s Drag Race” has our straight co-workers gagged. It’s gone beyond marriage, as well as our predecessor’s wildest dreams. It’s no secret that the gays have officially penetrated mainstream society.