Straight Couples hanging out in Gay Bars

[DOMITIAN]

In California we have retaurants, bars, nightclubs and spas where Gay & Streight couples encounter eachother. If somebody starts a fight he will be in big trouble fast. If I M in a gay club and some "streight guy" gets pissed because I M looking at him, tough! I could not care less. . . . . What about private gay clubs? I know thay are common in Europe. No problem there. I never had any problem in Argentina where the culture is very bi-sexual . . . . .

[Wintereis]

[quote=marshlander]Some nights it feels like the straights have come out to see the gays in their native habitat [QUOTE]


I find this entire topic remarkable and humorous. From viewing the comments and conotations everyone is giving it seems like no one has a real firm grasp on the history of gay bar. To me this seems entirely representative of the fact that so much of our history is buried and most of gay societies disinterest in digging it up. It may behoove you all to know that, not only is the heterosexual couple/group etc. not uncommon in a gay bar but it is a documented tradition that dates back more than a century.

Amazon.com: Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940 (9780465026210): George Chauncey: Books

As it is so aptly stated above, many times (especially in the early years) heterosexuals went to gay bars/clubs/cafes/ and balls as a form of entertainment: "like the straights have come out to see the gays in their native habitat."

Indeed, where do you think vaudeville gained its affection for drag?

[East]

Wintereis...very true and good point but I do think that this phenomenon was mostly in the drag clubs...it was that way in San Francisco. Thing is...mainstream non drag gay clubs...in San Francisco for instance...clubs such as Trocadero Transfer, Oil Can Harrys, I-Beam, End Up, Dreamland, The Eagle, The Stud...on and on...not too many straight couples but clubs that had alot of drag shows always attracted a straight clientele...some didn't even advertise themselves as gay bars...and they weren't. Hula Hut in Wailiki and Finnocchios in SF come to mind.

I might have it wrong but I assumed this was about straight couple going into bars that were usually just traditionally patronized by gay men....places they didn't used to go. It is true they always went to the clubs with the drag queens.

There is another thing that happened in starting back in the early 90s that also might be a contributing factor in the shift. Some gay clubs in order to attract different clientele (and much needed $$$$) would change the name of the club on different days. My favorite place to dance for hours was at the I Beam on Haight Street and it was gay on Sunday so I would go almost every week and not leave til I was soaking wet four hours later.....except for Sunday and Wednesday it was not a gay bar at that time (I think this was maybe 1984-87 when I would go there every week)...same thing happened with most of the larger clubs with a bigger overhead and more bills to pay. Economics:biggrin:...that might be another reason.

[Beaux]

Its been like this in gay bars in Louisiana for years guys. Heck, in New Orleans, the straights consider the gay bars part of the tour. Of course, we are also the state with drive through liquor stores on every corner, serving drinks in to-go cups. When I lived in NY and in Dallas I liked the feeling of isolation from the straight community that the gay community offered. Heck, in Dallas, I could literally go for days with out even seeing straight people. My doctor was gay, my dentist, my chiropractor. I will admit that I liked that, and from a bartender prespective it was nice too. Having moved back to Louisiana, I guess I have just adjusted to it again. Reading this post actually starteled me initially, I had forgoten that it is like that everywhere.