What do you think of Boston's Guerrilla Queer Bar nights? (See details)

I like it. I wonder if I can get one started in my area….....

Unsuccessful as the behavior that defines homosexuality is illegal to do in a public place anyway.

@MeinTeil – Good think that the article is about gay and queer people and not homosexuality! Phew.

@ETpro – I think this is an intelligent, safe, and fun way of integration. Bravo Boston – I like you more than I used to!

It sounds like fun. My bipolar support group (“Nuts Like Us”) will occasionally do something like that, when we appear at an unsuspecting bar. We’re don’t have as much clout, though.

Disney Land has that. It’s called Gay Pride day.

Never heard of this, but why not – I don’t think it’s a big deal.
@MeinTeil You’re not in the US, are you? Homosexuality isn’t illegal ‘to do’ here.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I think s/he was saying that public sex acts are pretty much illegal

@iamthemob Right, obviously – so the assumption was that gays have sex in public, then. Awesome.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir – we’re that kind of classy

@iamthemob Yep, that’s me and you – classy.

I bet the bar makes a lot of money on that night.

@syz I don’t see why not. Toward the end of the article, it tells how just two guys and a chance meeting started the whole thing here.

@MeinTeil What the heck is that supposed to mean. Should all the straight bars shut down because having heterosexual intercourse on the bar table is illegal as well? People may go to bars to meet someone, but they generally do not have in mind bedding them in public. If that were the case, every public place of every kind would need to be closed, because people meet and hook up in their workplaces, libraries, coffee shops, shopping malls, all sorts of places.

@iamthemob Thanks. Boston’s a pretty neat city. I love it.

@wundayatta Well, even if the bipolar support group is small in numbers, there are two of each member to double the force. Sorry, I couldn’t pass that up. :-)

@josie So far, not a single nightclub owner has protested. :-)

@Simone_De_Beauvoir

I live in the US. I think you’ve missed my point. I think one group of individuals ‘taking over’ another establishment is meaningless

The reason why is that the act that defines ones type of sexuality cannot be done at the meeting place.

So if the intent is to make a statement it won’t work because it will merely look like the crowd has doubled to the observer.

@MeinTeil

I think you’ve missed the whole point. “Gay” and “Queer” are political identities in that one takes on the identity in a public manner. It does not mean they have to perform any sexual acts. Therefore, having a gay presence in a straight bar actually is a move to consolidate the community, make presence known, and in the end make sure that people on all points in the identity spectrum can feel comfortable in all spaces, rather than feeling a need to self-ghetto-ize.

You’re reducing the issue to an absurd point.

Define ‘gay presence’.

Identity spectrum?

Gay and Queer are not proper political identities.

Gay presence: the presence of gays.

Identity spectrum: pick one

On a more serious answer to the first question, because being queer or gay means one has taken on the “public” identity of what has stereotypically been identified with a group of acts, it is more closely related to a movement that one identifies with – much like a religion, political party, etc., but more complicated as it is related to one of our basic human functions – sexual attraction. One need not have sex to be attracted to a particular group. As it is at the core of what makes us human, it is less susceptible (and should not be made to be susceptible) to attempts to change the desires. But because expression in the public forum requires one make themselves visible, this requires certain recognizable and often political acts. The act of gathering together with those that share your same acknowledged identity in a public social space to show that the space should be shared equally is what, in this case, a “gay presence” would refer to.

If people want to complicate perfectly good partytime to attempt to make a political statement, very well.

Whatever curls your toes up.

@MeinTeil – Wow, I didn’t know gays ruined the party – I thought we were notorious for the opposite!

But if you like to see the world in black and white absolutes, curl your own toes. ;-)

@MeinTeil Your last comment to me has nothing to do with the comment of yours that I was responding to when I mentioned that homosexuality isn’t illegal here. And also, you don’t get to define what are ‘proper’ political identities.

@iamthemob

I didn’t suggest that any peoples ruin the party. Rather, overthinking things does.

@MeinTeil

So does underthinking.

People will never fail to find a venue for throwing their identity around.

I know right? Like whenever I meet anyone, they’re like “Hi, my name is…” and I’m all like “Get over yourself already!”

I KNEW I needed to put identity in quotes.

I assumed readers would understand that I meant identity as its comes to be used in this thread.

I know right? Like whenever I meet anyone, they’re like “Hi, my name is ”…” ” and I’m all like “Get over yourself already!”

Seems like fun to me.

@MeinTeil Theoretical discussions are trivialized by reality. The straight reporter who wrote the article knew the moment she walked into the familiar bar that something was different that night. That’s reality. That’s observed fact. In constructing a theory, it’s best to start with the position that it needs to match observed facts, not that observed facts must be ignored unless they agree with your theory.