Unsure. I’d say “intruders”. If I go to a gay place, it’s not to become a token to a straight person, be they men or women, it’s to get the f away from them. My safe place is not a zoo for straights who can find us cute or exotic, it’s a place where I can finally just be me. Or, they need to make sure that we are welcome in straight bars as well. Else, just GTFO of my safe place.
If they go to a gay bar for safety, then it’s another story.
To sum it up : “Let’s go to the gay bar for fun” = GTFO.
“Let’s go to the gay bar because I’m afraid straight men will harrass/assault/rape me” = “Come in”.
“Let’s go to the gay bar because I’m questionning my sexual orientation and would like to meet gay women” = “Come in”.
What about “let’s go to a gay bar because one or more friends in the group is gay, but not everyone is, and we want to have a great time together AND let our friends be themselves in a safe space”?
I don’t know about others, but I cannot be myself in the company of my straight friends. I’d never go to a gay place with them for fun, making myself an accomplice to their “let’s go to the zoo watch the gays” mindset, I’d go to a gay place to get away from them. Straight people have no idea how tiring it is to mask for them. When I’m around people I need at least 4 hours to myself before I can interact with anybody else.
Unsure. I’d say “intruders”. If I go to a gay place, it’s not to become a token to a straight person, be they men or women, it’s to get the f away from them. My safe place is not a zoo for straights who can find us cute or exotic, it’s a place where I can finally just be me. Or, they need to make sure that we are welcome in straight bars as well. Else, just GTFO of my safe place.
If they go to a gay bar for safety, then it’s another story.
To sum it up : “Let’s go to the gay bar for fun” = GTFO.
“Let’s go to the gay bar because I’m afraid straight men will harrass/assault/rape me” = “Come in”.
“Let’s go to the gay bar because I’m questionning my sexual orientation and would like to meet gay women” = “Come in”.
What about “let’s go to a gay bar because one or more friends in the group is gay, but not everyone is, and we want to have a great time together AND let our friends be themselves in a safe space”?
I don’t know about others, but I cannot be myself in the company of my straight friends. I’d never go to a gay place with them for fun, making myself an accomplice to their “let’s go to the zoo watch the gays” mindset, I’d go to a gay place to get away from them. Straight people have no idea how tiring it is to mask for them. When I’m around people I need at least 4 hours to myself before I can interact with anybody else.