A local gay establishment, expressly advertised as such, is having a usual night. You know, the gay community hanging out, joking, reconnecting and sharing stories, ready to enjoy a usual Sunday night of karaoke.
As my best friend and I are on our way to engage in our Sunday night ritual, we approach the door of the club and give each other a knowing glance as we look inside. The place is packed, and we have a sinking feeling that this night is going to be a little crazy. After all, we've seen this exact scene a few times before.
And as we enter, it's evident that this place is overrun by "breeders" ... for those who aren't privy to this term, it's straight people. Now I love straights ... hell, some of my closest friends are straights. (*I hope you can appreciate the humor in that statement*)
The last time the place was overrun with a crowd of this nature and this capacity, it was a madhouse and people didn't know how to act in this gay establishment. But I was cautiously optimistic that tonight would not be a repeat performance.
So as we ordered our drinks and looked up on the karaoke stage, about 10-12 people were trying to crowd on the stage to sing. Not only that, but once about 7 of them were ejected from the stage, the remaining girls started drunkenly dancing uncontrollably. I’m sure they were just excited that it was a bachelorette party, but come on – have some respect for the small stage space and the expensive equipment! There were actually two large groups partying there.
But I digress …
I thought that, once again, it was funny that a number of the straight people were practically trying to play varsity tongue hockey with one another, and the couples were clutching each other’s hands for dear life – the women afraid that their beloved men would be hit on by a gay man (or another female), and the men were fearful that they’d be accosted and picked up by one of the gay men.
Now I’m an advocate of playful fun and being flirty, but I think there is another issue that should be explored here. And I’m not saying this to incite any hurt feelings with my straights.
But in what year in the future will it finally be a moot point that gay men can kiss and make out, not to mention lovingly hold intertwined hands, in the bars and restaurants geared toward the straight community? After all, while I’m in the bars geared toward the gay community, straight people make out, kiss and hold hands all of the time. Hell, sometimes it goes further than that.
Asbury Park is known by so many groups, organizations and individuals in general as the gay capital of New Jersey. So is Asbury Park the place where we gays can do these things and it be acceptable?
Now honestly, how many straight men would be totally content with two gay men coming into a straight bar in Asbury Park, standing right in front of them and French kissing each other? I’m not sure how many wouldn’t feel any negative reaction to this, but if I were to offer up a guess, the percentage would be in the low teens. Sometimes I’m not in the mood to see straight couples making out in the bars and clubs in Asbury Park – and beyond – geared toward the gays.
And by the way, I’m focusing on the male population because straight men wouldn’t care if two lesbians starting kissing in front of them – if I’m not mistaken.
So gay boyz in Asbury Park (and even beyond), perhaps we should try a little experiment. Let’s start kissing like bandits in all bars, and let’s see what reaction we receive. Let’s see if things have, indeed, gotten better in the battle for equality.
I mean, so many have gotten on board with gays getting married. And that’s tremendous. But how many have gotten on board with gays making out in front of them? I couldn’t tell you – chances are, not many.
Now I could be totally mistaken in my assessment. So boyz, let’s test it out, and report back to me what you discover. And if they react poorly, just tell them that they are on "Candid Camera" … I bet they “suddenly” treat you with some class.
Let’s hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment