The Sheffield gay scene part 2

[Halibut]

For Halibut and Taxman's benefit, I have absolutely no problem with gays at all. I've worked with gays, and am friends with many gays, I was just simply being objective about a festival/party which clearly seems to be a bit one sided, and designed for gays only.

 

I'll reiterate.

 

Imagine if there was a festival called "Straight Pride"? There would be absolute uproar and you know it!

 

I think I am actually being "pro-gay" here. These kind of events create boundaries as the target audience excludes straight people.

 

Have a think about this; There are loads of "Gay Bars", but I don't know of a sinngle "Straight Bar"!!! If homosexuals want integration, then why create seperate bars and areas away from straight people??

 

Like I said earlier, I'm clearly not a homophobe, I just think that the pure fact that gays make their own areas seperate from society speaks absolute volumes...

 

I'm happy to discuss this further, as long as people can remain mature and not start using abuse.

 

A straight friend of mine recently took his kids to a Gay Pride event - and had a brilliant day out.

Your claim that such events exclude straight folks is quite simply a nonsense.

 

Straight bars? Ever seen two blokes holding hands in your local? Almost every bar in the land that isn't a gay bar is, in all but name, a straight bar.

 

I've never met any kind of unpleasantness or felt unwanted as a straight man in a gay boozer; quite the contrary.

[SpiderPete]

For Halibut and Taxman's benefit, I have absolutely no problem with gays at all. I've worked with gays, and am friends with many gays, I was just simply being objective about a festival/party which clearly seems to be a bit one sided, and designed for gays only.

 

I went to Pride this year and there were familes/kids/straight people there, it isnt just for the gay commnity

 

Imagine if there was a festival called "Straight Pride"? There would be absolute uproar and you know it!

 

Who would be causing the uproar then ?

 

I think I am actually being "pro-gay" here. These kind of events create boundaries as the target audience excludes straight people.

 

Straight people were not excluded at all, anyone can go

 

Have a think about this; There are loads of "Gay Bars", but I don't know of a sinngle "Straight Bar"!!! If homosexuals want integration, then why create seperate bars and areas away from straight people??

 

We have had this conversation before on another thread, but I think its locked, anyway would you be happy if you walked into a "straight bar" and saw 8 men kissing in x4 couple, x2 lesbians "getting it on", ?. I am sure alot of people wont like this idea at all, hence why there are "gay bars/clubs" and while homophobic does exist, which it does then we require gay bars/clubs.

[finnon83]

I find the sheffield gay scene very dull,tiresome and almost non existant. It is about time that a decent pub opened that wasnt clicky or filthy. In my experience 'straight' pubs are more welcome to the gay community that 'gay' pubs.

[Tyranna]

Almost every bar in the land that isn't a gay bar is, in all but name, a straight bar.

 

From my point of view, the most acceptible and neutral way to refer to non-gay bars/clubs is to call them 'mainstream' clubs/bars.

 

Finnon 83, you're dead right about the need for something better on the local gay scene. As everyone knows, I'm longing for a proper Drag Showbar with drag shows perhaps once or twice every week rather than the very sporadic, often non-existent drag entertainment at the few local bars which do it.

 

Sheffield must be the only really large city in the country without at least one weekly drag show; look at Leeds, for example, which not only has the Viaduct with drag 3-4 days a week., but also Blayds Bar and other venues doing occasional drag. At least there seems to be a weekly stripshow at Dempseys, although Drag can and does appeal to an even wider audience.

[noseyrosie]

This whole apartheid in reverse thing is laughable.

 

You can't turn this type of prejudice on its head - I'm not suggesting that it was your intention but this is exactly the type of argument regularly leveled by the far right (e.g. BNP) when they talk about black on white racism, or the white people in the UK being 'endangered'. The reason that Gay Pride exists and Straight Pride doesn't is because gay, or LGBT people have suffered (and still do suffer) from prejudice and discrimination as a minority and so it is an equality issue.

 

A further example is the situation where universities are coming up against the proposal to have a 'men's officer' sabbatical position because they have a women's officer. If you can't see why this is a problem for liberation then there's not a lot more explaining to be done...

[Tyranna]

BTW, to change the subject a little, but to keep firmly on the topic of the 'Gay Scene', I've noticed that the former home of Gay Bar Affinity on Campo Lane is undergoing some refurbishment work after lying empty for the best part of a year.

Any news on what kind of establishment will be opening there?

BTW, Affinity at its present home at the former Mulberry, is now under new management, Best of Luck to the new owners!

[Classic Rock]

The Moorfoot Tavern is very gay friendly - although not a totally dedicated gay pub, it does see a lot of through trade. My karaoke nights on Saturday down there are popular with everyone. Do pop in and sing a song with me.

[Tyranna]

Great to hear from you, Classic Rock, that you are still doing the karaoke at Moorfoot, and that it is still Gay-Friendly.

 

BTW, in order to quell rumors of AFFINITY being shut for over a week for refurbishment before the Relaunch, Roz the manager told me (when I popped in after Tramlines on Saturday night), that Affinity is shut only from this Monday (26 July) to this Thursday (29 July) for the necessary work to be done, and the relaunch will be taking place on Friday night; fun starts around 8pm!

[aaron1867]

The Sheffield scene is in a total mess. I have stopped going out to Dempsey's most weekends now, just for the fact that the prices do nto reflect the establishment. The place although slated for many different reasons does give something back. It's the only gay bar that actually is open every day and has people in and has something different on, so suppose you can't knock it for that. I think I have stopped going in as much is due to it being the same old people.

 

Everything is becoming tiresome unfortunately. And as a 20 year old, it's just becoming boring and dull and even the highlight of Shefield gay scene (Climax) is becoming just as dull.

 

The only thing that can help is if Fuel re-opens, because for such a big city, it deserves a better scene. Unfortuantely it will take at least £200k for someone to have a good go at it.

[Bulgarian]

Finnon 83, you're dead right about the need for something better on the local gay scene. As everyone knows, I'm longing for a proper Drag Showbar with drag shows perhaps once or twice every week rather than the very sporadic, often non-existent drag entertainment at the few local bars which do it.

 

I doubt Finnon83 was thinking of a stereotypical camp drag bar, which would probably stay open for a week then close due to the fact that drag bars went out of fashion 20 years ago.