Gay clubs are not an alternative for straight women

Selling the idea that gay clubs are a better night out for straight women is offensive. It completely ignores, and fails to understand, the entire point of gay clubs.

During a Tab procrastination stint I came across this post saying gay clubs were better than straight clubs, and I was fuming.

If a heterosexual female finds clubs tailored for her own sexual orientation ‘monotonous’ and ‘judgemental’ then try to put yourselves in the shoes of an LGBTQ in the same club.

Not only is the music boring, we’re also faced with the bleak reality of not being able to find anyone ‘to pull’ thanks to the fear of being punched.

My first time in a gay club, overshadowed by the straight couple behind me

That’s where gay clubs come in. The whole purpose of these clubs is to provide a safe space where men can hit on men, and women can hit on women, with rejection being the only thing to fear. They’re there to be spaces with a welcoming atmosphere for LGBTQ people who might feel uncomfortable being themselves in a straight club. 

It’s a space of complete openness and freedom for a demographic who are still fighting for their right to live in some parts of the world. These sanctuaries are not a gimmick for straight women (or men) to experience for a laugh. Gay men don’t go to gay clubs to pay ‘genuine compliments’ to the straight girls who are hogging the dance floor and getting offended when lesbians hit on them – one of the many textbook stereotypes of gay men that the article is filled with.

Forced outside by the straight girls

The writer claims that people only go to straight clubs ‘not to dance, but to pull’ which from observation seems pretty accurate, but it’s infuriating that from a heteronormative point of view the whole idea that gay clubs are places for gay people to pull is completely ignored.

The only action I get in straight clubs

The girl’s got a point when it comes to the music though, give me Katy Perry over Avicii any day, and there’s no denying that gays know how to have fun. The main message that stood out to me from that article is not how amazing gay clubs are, but how crap straight clubs are.

If straight women are turned off by the predatory men of the straight club, then surely tackling lad culture and straight men’s sense of entitlement to a woman’s body is the solution, not the invasion of the sanctuary that is the gay club.

I’m not trying to demonise the fantastic straight people who want to accompany their gay friends and be part of their experience there, but I just don’t think a gay club is the place for your girl’s night out.