Where have all the Poofters Gone?
Lee and I met some friends over the weekend and went out to a movie on Oxford Street on Saturday Night. Oxford Street for those of you not in Australia is supposed to be the gay mecca of Sydney, known as the golden mile for it;s gay clubs and pubs. We havent really been out much on a Saturday night on Oxford Street for a while and I was really disappointed with what we found.
We left the cinema about 11:30pm and wandered towards home. Usually on a Saturday night the street is buzzing with gay guys wandering from club to club and the eating houses are full of queer folk as well. It is one of the places in Sydney that I usually feel totally safe holding ahnds with lee at night.
This Saturday night was really different and quite depressing. Instead of playing spot the straight on the street, instead it was hard to see any queer people at all. The majority of the people walking around were straight guys and gilrs and their reaction to seeing a same sex couple holding hands was not friendly in the slightest. We received dirty looks and a lot of scowls on peoples faces. The biggest suprise was the number of straight boys who were openly hostile to us.
I just couldn't believe that Oxford Street has now gone almost totally straight and we were in the minority in the one place that for the last twenty years has been a safe place for gays and lesbians. The number of gay and lesbian venues or even mixed venues is in decline with more closing every month, whilst the clubs that cater for straights is on the rise on Oxford Street.
Now while this may seem like a rather narrow minded attitude and many people would say that we want and need only have mixed venues etc, that would be fine if the the straight crowd was ok mixing waith gay guys and girls but the simple fact is that the crowd that has now overturned oxford street is not comfortable with the gays and lesbians and they are openly hostile.
In a way I liken the effect to having a party were you invite all your friends over. Your friends invite some friends and then their friends invite some more. Pretty soon you and your friends are in the minority at your own party in your own house. The univited guests start to take over the party and your house, changing your music and not respecting your rules until they have taken over and it is no longer your party. That's how it feels to me. I don't have a problem with mixed venues but I have an enormous problem when people take over and don't have respect for the people that were there first or who built it up.
I don't generally go to strtaight pubs or clubs, because I don't feel safe going there, i can't hold my partner's hand or give him a peck ont he cheek or show any affection without putting myself in danger of being beaten up. It's not an over reaction on my behalf, the reason why gay clubs and pubs flourished was so queer people could go somewhere without fear for their safety and know that if they act like "normal" couples and pick up, kiss etc they aren't going to be in physical danger from the more physical homophobes in society.
Let's face it, yes gays and lesbians are a lot more visible in today's society and they have more rights than they did say twenty years ago, but the reality is that we are still not accepted by the majority of society. People stop and stare at us when we walk down the street holding hands, mothers pull their children out of our way, they point whisper and make comments or hurl abuse at us.
Two weeks ago Lee and I were walking down our own street holding hands when some idiot in a c ar yelled out a homphobic remark at us. That would be fine if we lived in suburbia where gay and lesbian couples were unusual, But we live in an area with the highest concentrations of gays and lesbians in the whole of Australia!
To my mind it's time we started to stand up against the tide and started to reclaim our community, and remind people that Oxford street is a place for open minded people not closed minded bigots. Oxford Street used to be safe for everyone, regardless of whether they were gay, straight, transgender or bisexual. We are being pushed out of our own space and our own heritage and community is being decimated.
I have wondered where the gay and lesiban community is going and I am writing an article of my feelinhgs abut the decline in the gay and lesbain community which I will publish online soon.
I would love to hear from you guys, leave a Message on the message board if you are a member under General Discussion or send me Feedback to my email address.

10:13:00 AM