[A.N.]

I'm an American living in London, and I'm having some problems with some of the gay clubs here - specifically their 'gay-only' door policy. I have actually been asked if I were gay before I was allowed to enter a club. Also, I had a straight friend who happened to be holding hands with his girlfriend rejected at the door of a famous London gay club. If gays were not allowed into straight clubs, there would be a huge upheaval, and talk of lawsuits would be everywhere. What do you think of this? Do you agree that this is reverse discrimination?

User Detail :  

Name : A.N., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 23, City : London, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Carlotta]

I don't think they should ask you whether you're gay. If you're a male and by yourself or with other males, they should assume you're gay. However, I think it's fair enough that they don't want straight couples. You talk about what would happen if gays were not allowed into straight clubs. I'm surprised I have to explain this to you as a gay man. Straight people are everywhere and there is no way there could be 'discrimination' against them. They control most environments, and the rest of us sometimes feel uncomfortable in those environments. Gay men (and/or lesbians) are entitled to have 'spaces' such as clubs, where they can feel safe and where they can know that they are with people of the same kind.

User Detail :  

Name : Carlotta, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Age : 24, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, 

[Trust no manager]

My flatmate (roommate) has been friends with a guy since kindergarten. He came out as gay as an adult, and their friendship has continued unchanged. She's straight and sometimes goes with him to a gay nightclub just to hang out with a friend and go dancing. They have a great time hanging out together. I think it's a very special thing to have such a strong friendship that has lasted all that time. Why shouldn't she be able to hang out with her friend at one of his favorite nightclubs? I don't think this friendship (or any other) should be excluded from some premises. With such a policy, this is what would happen.

User Detail :  

Name : Trust no manager, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 35, City : Wellington, State : NA Country : New Zealand, Occupation : Librarian, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Ben S.]

I've not been asked whether I'm gay when entering London clubs though it's often assumed I'm straight- even when I actually worked as a manager of a gay club ! I guess it is the club's way of ensuring the atmosphere of the club remains gay. If every guy and girl holding hands were let in, then what you had wouldn't be a gay club anymore, and you'd probably shrug your shoulders and go elsewhere as it had 'gone straight'. When you're a gay nightclub manager, this is a fine line. Yes it is discrimination, and in a perfect world it would be wrong, but last time I checked, straight environments were not exactly that enamoured of gay couples holding hands, so . . .

User Detail :  

Name : Ben S., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Public servant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Jessica N.]

My boyfriend and I spent last Saturday at London's Mardi Gras and were, initially, nervous of showing affection toward each other in case we annoyed or upset the other visitors to what is, of course, a gay and lesbian event. For the first time, we found ourselves as members of a minority in terms of our sexuality, and we half-expected comments along the lines of 'what are you people doing here?' However, I'm pleased to say that we didn't get a single unfriendly (heterophobic?) comment the entire day. Hats off to the organizers of the event, who categorically stated that everyone was welcome, gay or straight. Of course the gay community should not be discriminated against because of their sexuality, but surely the same discrimination in reverse does nothing to help matters.

User Detail :  

Name : Jessica N., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 21, City : Berkshire, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : University student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ian]

To say that there would be a huge upheaval if lesbians and gay men were not allowed into straight clubs is just proposterous. We are only 'allowed' into all sorts of premises as long as we act straight. Are gays 'allowed' to show affection to each other in staight clubs? This is not reverse discrimination - this is a response to the discrimination of mainstream heterosexual society. When lesbians and gay men can be as free with their sexuality as heterosexual couples are 'allowed' to be then this question will no longer arise. As it happens though I don't think that you have quite understood the reasons the door policy of the clubs is how it is. Many lesbians and gay men will be able to tell you stories about seeing heterosexual couples in gay bars being very affectionate with each other - it's as if as soon as they get in the place they have to prove their sexuality because they feel threatened - if you you ran a gay bar is this the kind of person you would want in the place? If I was on the door I'd say that a straight couple arriving hand in hand would not be the sort of people I'd want in - it's not anti-straight, I just think they could possibly start to try to overwhelm the place with their sexuality (people often talk about lesbians and gay men shoving their sexuality down heterosexuals throats - they obviously haven't seen how some straights act in a gay bar). With regard to being asked if you are gay or not - this ones very simple. If you are gay then you say you are and you get in, if you are not gay and are willing to say you are gay in order to get in then you get in and if you are not gay and you can't bring yourself to say you are then this place aint for you anyway sweetheart.

User Detail :  

Name : Ian, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 31, City : Manchester, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Kerry]

I don't like the gay-only discriminatory policies. Like one poster said, it's sure not going to help anything. Ok, yes, people ought to be aware it's a gay club, but that's as far as I'd take it. Gay people do have straight friends that hang out with them, and go dancing with them, and it shouldn't be anybody's business about that. If a straight person goes to a gay club, they ought to know where they are going, not to be blindsided by it, but if they are friendly to us, who cares? It's not like people wear 'straight' branded on their foreheads, it's not like you can tell by looking at someone. And being gay in the presence of a straight person is not intrinsically harmful.

User Detail :  

Name : Kerry, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Wiccan, Age : 31, City : Ventura, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Stage Worker, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Indigo21390]

Of courese gay people are entitled to their own 'spaces'. However that does give them the right to exclude other people. Just as straight people should not have the right to exclude gay people, Gay people should not have the right to exclude straight people. Just because a group has been discriminated against doesn't mean they can have different rules from everyone else. If gay people shut themselves off from the world then homosexuality can never become socially acceptable.

User Detail :  

Name : Indigo21390, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Religion : Atheist, City : Aberdeen, State : NA Country : Scotland, 

[Stephanie27798]

This IS reverse discrimination. They want to be so accepted then they go and make gay only clubs. Why should straight people accept them then if they wish to be so secluded? Any straight people willing to make a straight club? I'd love to. Throughout history if people weren't accepted in one place they migrated to another. Like America. So why don't gay people migrate somewhere and make their own 'gay state' if they want to secluded? Otherwise they should be flattered that straight people want ot go to their clubs.

User Detail :  

Name : Stephanie27798, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 21, City : Phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

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