Village Views: The LGBT Column – Are door policies on Canal Street discriminatory?
For his third gay opinion column MM's Owen Williams takes a more introspective view of the gay community and its policies towards straight people.
I suppose I should confess right now that the reason I decided to pick this topic for my latest opinion column about gay issues is that recently I got turned away from a gay bar on the grounds that I wasn’t quite gay enough.
Well, they didn’t exactly put it like that, I believe the exact phrase was 'sorry guys, it’s a member’s only night', considering the bar, that sentence can only mean one thing, especially when it follows nothing short of an interrogation as to where else my friends and I had been that night.
Door policies in the gay village are a complex and controversial topic, but then it’s a gay issue so I suppose it would be odd if it wasn’t. Quite honestly, I see both sides of the argument. I understand that the gay village is just that: a gay, village, and that identity should be cherished and preserved.
The village is, and always should be, part of the gay community; it is, at least in part, why we exist as a coherent and identifiable group with our own sub-culture. And don’t get me wrong, I get just as frustrated as the next proud gay, when I go into a gay bar and most of the people in there are straight. The bars, clubs, restaurants and shops on Canal Street are, despite Manchester being a gay-friendly city, still the only place LGBT people can go and be comfortable being themselves and be confident that at least the majority of people around them are also LGBT.
If anything it cuts out a stage that most straight people wouldn’t even think about when meeting a new person or out on the pull. That perpetual question; are they gay or are they straight (and if I get it wrong how are they going to react)? If anything should be held onto in the gay village it’s that the environment that puts gay people at ease and creates our own, safe world which we own and have control over.
But does that mean we should exclude straight people, or people we deem too straight to possibly be gay? Surely once it gets to a point where genuinely gay people are being turned away from bars which have been founded for them there is something wrong.
We use the term the 'gay community' or the 'LGBT community' as if it indicates some form of character or identity which is coherent or at least unifying. While this is true in part, gay and bisexual men, women and transgendered individuals do share a lot of the same issues and social or life struggle. In reality it is actually amazing how unified the community is despite its lack of a common character or identity.
And yet, we are creating an environment within the village which creates a pressure situation upon ourselves to conform to what the rest of the LGBT group seems to expect of us.
Door policies which are essentially discriminatory against people who do not conform to a certain type or stereotype of gay people are just a small part of this. Out LGBT people are all amazing, every single one of them is a courageous individual who has deliberately placed themselves out side of the heterosexual dominated mainstream to be honest about who they are.
Being gay is not a choice, coming out is. And yet despite this common bravery in accepting their common differences with the rest of society, some gay people seem to resent people not being a certain way, and we have now got a situation where gay bars are choosing who is gay enough.
Put in the context of the gay rights movement, which is seeing a second wind both in Europe and North America, due to an increase in militant religious activity aimed at the LGBT community, you realise how utterly ridiculous this is.
We are all, whether we know it or not, fighting for our right to be ourselves, to be different from the majority of other people and to not only be tolerated by those other people but to be accepted as equals. And yet, amongst ourselves we are creating a group which is yet again trying to impose certain social pressures of conformity onto its members.
To out gay people who want to maintain the village as a gay area for gay people, door policies which reduce the number of 'straight' people may seem like a fantastic idea. But then it’s very easy to forget when you are out and properly ingratiated into the gay community and the gay village that there are a hell of a lot of people who are struggling with their sexuality, both young and old.
The major problem I have with the no-straights door policy is that it could be seriously damaging for those people who are not out, or have just moved here in search of an accepting gay community.
I grew up in Swansea, not exactly a gay centre, even by Welsh standards, and coming to Manchester for university was a massive relief on that front. My first experience of Canal Street was great.
Me and a few friends, some of which were gay and some of which were straight went out as a spur of the moment thing after going to a few straight bars. It was incredibly exciting but oddly nerve-wracking, the gay village can be an incredibly alienating place when you’re not used to that environment.
After my mates and I, again some of which were gay and some of which were straight, got turned away recently, I just thought back to how I would have reacted had that happened on my first Canal Street experience.
Being denied entry to a place, particularly a bar, is an intrinsically ostracising experience, it excludes you from a club or a group and turns that group into something exclusive, if it had happened on my first canal street experience it could have had serious ramifications for my relationship with the place and other gay people.
Gay bars and gay villages were essentially established as a protection system in the era before decriminalisation. It was a place for the LGBT community to go to meet others like themselves and step out of the homophobic and frequently hostile world around them.
That situation has largely changed, while a gay orientated area owned by gay people for gay people is still very much needed and always will be the protectionist side is increasingly anachronistic. We don’t need to be protected against the vast majority of straight people anymore, we don’t need to have ourselves validated by the security of the territorialised gay community, and in fact I believe the more we hold onto that the more dangerous it will it will be for gay rights and gay acceptance in mainstream culture and society.
As I always seem to say in these columns, the gay rights movement has come a long way, we have established ourselves as a significant and open section of a wider British and human society (at least in many western countries) and arguably more gay people are out and accepted within that society than ever before. We are increasingly playing an active part in mainstream society and being not only recognised for it but also thanked and accepted for it.
I’m not going to beat about the bush here; I don’t understand how some gay people still ghettoise themselves from the rest of mainstream society. Most of us have straight friends, many of us actually have more straight friends than gay ones believe it or not, and why should they not be able to come out on Canal Street or other gay scenes across the UK?
It has taken us 40 years, probably even 2000 to get to a point where gay people are accepted as gay people throughout if not a majority of heterosexual society, a large chunk of it. If we have straight friends who want to come out with us in our village, it seems not only stupid but oddly aggressive to refuse them entry, or not welcome them as if they are one of our own. If we demand an equal and respected place in straight society, we need to accept them into our community as well.
We should be grateful that there are so many straight people who take an interest in our sub-culture and in us as individuals, who care about us as friends, family and colleagues and want to understand not only us but our community. Let’s face it guys and gals, there are a hell of a lot of places around the world were a majority of straight people wouldn’t only rather be seen dead in a place like Canal Street but would rather see us dead too.
It’s almost a cliché but prejudice and discrimination are born of ignorance, why would we do something which segregated us from the rest of society, and created an environment where that ignorance can be left to ferment? Allowing straight people to come to our shops, clubs and bars as brothers and sisters must be the best way of maintaining our increasingly accepted and productive position within mainstream society.
If you have any experiences with door policy in Canal Street or would like to continue the debate please share it with us by commenting below, or e-mail us by clicking here.
tired stereotypes
it's not about the drunks and abusive characters though is it? It's about not letting people in based on a tired, stereotype..
somewhat agree, I think at
somewhat agree, I think at least! I am a bi male in a relationship with a bi lady. I have been refused entry a number of times in the village and I agree, it is very frustrating to be denied entry!
I think it is a dangerous scenario to refuse entry to straight people, let alone someone who 'isn't gay enough', whatever that means! the years of campaigning for all sexes/sexualities to have EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES surely necessitates canal street to adopt the same ethos that we are asking the straight community to follow. It seems like refusing entry to a straight person could quite easily alienate open minded and welcoming people who are the future of a non discriminatory Britain!
An interesting article, if
An interesting article, if you're the 'G' of LGBT. Less so if you're 'L' or 'B', and not at all if you're 'T'. You use the terms 'Gay community' and LGBT community as though they were interchangeable - they're not, yet, with us feeling as though we were invisible most of the time. It doesn't help, I suppose, that I am 'T' (gender) and 'L' (sexuality), so your article ignores me twice. If you intend an article to refer to Gay people, please refrain from using 'LGBT' in it - it only clouds the issue, and assumes a common ground that isn't, in reality, as 'common' as it could be.
i went to canal street this
i went to canal street this weekend. A group of girls with mixed sexuality. we got refused from almost every bar on canal street and might i add we were sober, not out to cause trouble just out for a good night. The bouncers on the doors were very rude to us and when we asked why we were being refused one said and i quote "because i said so".... to be then walked off canal street by a couple of bouncers and told there were bars more our type out of the village...
I too, a gay girl, have been
I too, a gay girl, have been turned away from places on Canal Street on numerous occassions, and given the bullshit 'members only' policy. Funny that the same places let me in on other occassions when I was wearing a checky shirt! Honestly, what has it come to when a gay person dreads going on a night out to Canal Street in case they don't get in anywhere? I feel like a 16 year old with a fake I.D.!
In addition to my post below.
In addition to my post below. The door policies only seem to reinforce stereotypes which shouldn't exist. On the times i have been refused entry i have neither been excessively drunk nor have i been remotely agressive, yet still get given the 'members only' response. How exactly does one become a member if one never gains entry in the first place? It's evident what the 'members only' response is for and there is no point beating about the bush trying to argue that perhaps people have been too drunk etc etc, as with many of us who have experienced this it is not the case.
Being made to feel like a stranger and ostracised from a community that you're supposed to be a part of is frustrating and humiliating. I shouldn't be made to feel isolated from a community that i have as much right as anyone to be a part of. I have had some very good times on Canal Street but these seem to be outweighed by the number of times i have experienced such door policies.
I am an openly gay female
I am an openly gay female (having been 'out' since the age of 16) and have been in a long term relationship with my girlfriend for 3 and a half years. Despite this i have had numerous problems with bars and clubs on canal street, because i'm not 'a member', aka i don't look gay enough/ don't fit the stereotype. It is infuriating as an openly gay person to be discriminated against for not conforming to a stereotype. It actually puts me off going to the village, or makes me feel pressured to conform to the butch lesbian image because i know i'd have no problem getting into places if i were to cut my hair short and ditch the dress for something less feminine. To be made to feel like that is disgusting, people have fought for gay rights yet everything that their door policies stand for seems to contradict them.
This is indeed old news -
This is indeed old news - Bisexual Action were campaigning about discriminatory door policies on Canal Street 20 years ago!
That's not to say it isn't current, too...
If this story is old then
If this story is old then summat is wrong isn't it? Move on? We've not even moved sideways!!! I sympathise with what the door guys n gals have to put up with - no such thing as an "easy job" when you deal with the public; drunk, sober, old or young, male or female, straight gay or have a prediliction for fluffy farm animals... Perhaps we should know what the brief the doorstaff are working to. As for "gays like to moan" ...... Thanks for tarring us all with the same brush and stereotyping. In the 15 years I've been a regular in the Village, from lengthy experience I can tell you ONE of the major problems is; the inconsistent door policies of competing venues. If they want my money they've got to make me feel welcomed, I think it comes under the term "Customer Service"?????
I appreciate that this was
I appreciate that this was not your intention. I think the main issue I have is that throughout the article you talk about 'gay or straight' as if they are the only two options for anyone using the canal street bars - the article claims to talk about Canal Street and the LGBT community, but then effectively erases bi people from that discussion. Bisexual erasure is a significant issue within the LGBT community, and I feel this article reinforces that.
At "this article talks about
At "this article talks about the gay..."
I'm deeply sorry you feel that way, it was not my intention at all. Having read back through it though the term LGBT is a lot less than gay and in a context of when I'm actually talking about the whole of the LGBT community. However, if you feel I have not used terms correctly or significantly missed out an important aspect of this issue I would be very interested in talking to you more about it! email me: owenjackwilliams@gmail.com
This article talks about gay
This article talks about gay experience and gay rights. Which is no problem at all in itself; but you should not then use the term "LGBT" as you do not talk about bisexual or transgender experience at all. Therefore this article is biphobic and transphobic.
G-A-Y isn't a bar, it's a
G-A-Y isn't a bar, it's a bin! And that hideous door troll is enough to make me never want to go there.
i expirenced the same at
i expirenced the same at essential recently. "members only tonight" rubbish probably because they could tell me and my friend were both straight. my friend had drove down from blackpool and we was only going there because a couple of our m8s were dj'in there which i explained politly only to get a dirty look and told members only again. i wouldnt of minded getting turned away if i was in a big group of lads, or drunk, or been giving attitude etc. in the few minutes we was in the area quite a few people who you could tell by looking were gay walked straight in with nothing even said to them which annoyed me. imagine if it was 2 gay guys getting told members only tonight at a "straight" club. then that would be homophobic. so thatr should make me the victim of hetrophobia
In response to 'The gay
In response to 'The gay village is the most' 17.00
I felt the most striking part of this piece was the fact a gay guy got turned away because he doesn't look gay enough - seriously? What is a gay guy supposed to wear, say, do, to prove he is gay enough to go into a club for a drink?
As a straight person, I do agree that there are plenty of other bars for me to choose from and I do choose to drink elsewhere as it can be a little intimidating late on a Saturday night - but by the sounds of it alot of LGBT people think the same, but this door policy sounds ridiculous if it is excluding
gay people who have chosen their club to spend their time and money in.
Thanks for having empathy,
Thanks for having empathy, understanding and positive regard for the roles the village staff play x
I second my door (12 yrs
I second my door (12 yrs experience)
What you trying to get into a
What you trying to get into a bar that is "crap?" - it means your a fool and Iet dont let any fools into my bar - and as a gay man i also wear similar attire - so take YOUR judgements elsewhere
Well if you want to tell me
Well if you want to tell me why I'm wrong in more detail, I'm doing a feature on the issue with rebuttals from people who work in the villiage and experiences of other people. email me: owenjackwilliams@gmail.com
What narrow minded views you
What narrow minded views you all have, you haven't got a clue. I work on the door in the village, we put up with pissed gays, abusive straights and everything in between 7 nights per week. If you spent just one sober night on any door on canal street you would realise how horrid it really is and your article wouldn't be as pathetic and whingy that it is. Time to grow a spine and grow up, life isn't a bunch of flowers but you get on with it and deal with it. It's a bloody bar for gods sake if you cant deal with this then god help you in later life.
I drink in g.a.y and I'm a
I drink in g.a.y and I'm a respectable looking and acting gay man.... And to think I've been turned away from new York new York and view before!... I mean that's more embarrassing! I took it on the chin n go places I'm welcome... Why doesn't everyone do that?... Because gays like to moan... This story Is old and boring and gets written by someone who was bounced from a venue n their pride got hurt!... Get over it n move on!
Take is as a compliment. I
Take is as a compliment. I do. I only get dragged in their because friends want to go in.
I *try* fail their gazing eye door test. Iron Maiden T Shirt? Long Hair? = Not Gay.
Good job the bar is crap in my opinion.
Personally I take it as a
Personally I take it as a compliment. I'm not "gay" enough for GAY. Pretend Pretentious Place that it is. Who knows why I was trying to get in their in the first place other than dragged along by friends.
do we know what these door
do we know what these door policies are at all. it just seems if your face fits and i am a gay man. think the village is now more than ever money making and not a great gay and indeed open to all environment. shame
I recently went to GAY on
I recently went to GAY on Canal Street only last week. Before me and my friend could even get to the door the female bouncer eyed us up (judging us) we could see her doing so. We got to the door, the female bouncer asked us what we were doing there as she hasn't seen us around before? I'm sorry that I do not hit the gay clubs every day of the week. So replied with that it was a Sunday and we knew it was open. She immediately turned us away and said 'Sorry ladies not tonight, only regulars and Village staff'
Now just because she hasn't seen us before doesn't mean we're not on canal street a lot. She immediately presumed we were straight by judging us before we even got to the door, how does she know me and my friend aren't gay? Has it become the immediate stereotype where you have to dress to presume you are gay?
Totally agree, the venues
Totally agree, the venues that turn people away will loose out in the long term.
There are as you say many other venues that are most welcoming. It is these venues that are the TRUE gay village community. Long may they prosper.
See just how long these hyperselective venues last........already some are selling drinks at low prices to get people through the doors. They may be selective at weekends............but there are SEVEN days in a week.
Imagine not conforming to a
Imagine not conforming to a perceived view of a 'gay' dress/look/attire/aesthetics AND being a member of an ethnic minority group and there may be 3 of them and you will be used to being turned away as the norm for you on a regular basis...echoing another poster's comments it's a good job there are proper safe spaces like Molly House/Taurus where prejudices of the bouncers are almost non existent and venue policies are not so image obsessed...
I feel like at this point we
I feel like at this point we potentially need to refocus this debate a bit.
I would just like to say that, at no place in this article have I said that homophobia in or out of Canal Street doesn't exist or is a thing of the past. What I have said is that we are now in a much better position than we used to be (that doesn't mean its perfect) there is no reason to not allow friendly straight people into a club or a pub, if they are being homophobic or obviously unaccepting of LGBT people or culture then just like any bar or club I would expect them to be barred entry to all clubs in the village. Homophobia, transphobia and biphobia as well as violence and crime on canal street is an imporant issue that affects a lot of the other issues around the gay village and its something which I for one would definitely like to look into. However to get back to the main thrust of THIS column... to bar an entire group of people (who lets face it are sometimes as impossible to define as gay people are) is not only discriminatory it kind of leads to a shooting ourselves in the foot situation.
And for the record, none of us in my group were drunk when we got turned away, if we were, again, I would completely understand not being allowed entry.
Owen
Indeed, possibly the same
Indeed, possibly the same woman.
I think the distinction
I think the distinction between gay bar/straight bar is blurring over the years, when I've been out it's just like a busy part of any major city at weekends, with eacjh place having it's own door policy - usually based on the bouincers personal likes/dislikes at the time, the 'gay' village is mainly a 'gay' village Monday/Thursday, just because the straights only seem to come in numbers at weekend, so it's the gayers which keep it going midweek, at weekends it's every pub/club for itself, straight or gay your welcome or unwelcome, all 'we' are are punters spending money, not gay or straight, just plain old punters, the gay village is slowly becoming confined to the (changeable!) history books, in the next 10/20 years it will just be another street/another city.
Homophobia & Hate Crimes are
Homophobia & Hate Crimes are alive & Kicking on Canal St.
If people are under the impression that homophobia is a thing of the past in the Village then stand one night on Canal Street and watch the homophobic abuse the venue doorstaff receive on an hourly basis! You will witness every form of verbal hatred based on sexuality, it is shocking and an eye opening to anyone who thinks lgbt venues do not need door policies!!
i think the main reason that
i think the main reason that nothing is being done about the mugging and pickpocketing epidemic around the edges of the village is that at least 99% of it goes unreported as it happens while people are cruising and they are fearful of police homophobia and persecution. (after all they are still technically committing a victimless "crime" as we still have very outdated laws in place.)
i have had my phone stolen on one occasion and been threatened if i didnt hand over money on several other occasions (which luckily i managed to avoid doing), but i didnt report any of these incidents after the experience i had when i reported a mugging that i had seen taking place under the rochdale canal tunnel (the police were much more concerned about why i was there than interested in the mugging!)
i know for a fact that there are phones stolen every single night along the canal, usually by people posing as cruisers so that they can get into pockets. despite having seen a great deal of people very upset at losing their phones and wallets i would be very surprised if more than a couple of them have ever reported it.
got my mobile stolen other
got my mobile stolen other week told police who tried to tell me i had lost it so no further action was need untill i said no some one took it from my pocket so i want a crime ref number. think they are trying to brush it under the carpet. i am not willing to let then, Called them today to say another sim card had been put into my phone and i have the phone number, they said they will get to me.. lets hope as i know this number is on 3networt and on a contract
Refusals at the door of
Refusals at the door of various Village venues are made for many reasons, if the individual door policy is predominantly village regulars in any group than surely this should be respected as a policy that keeps lgbt venues safe and attitude free? With so many bars in one area then surely it is good to have differing policies ... Something for everyone? So why the constant analysis, it has been done to death. People are voting with their feet and the venues with the stricter door policies are defiantly the busiest and safest - fact.
in response to comments about
in response to comments about g.a.y.- yes the search on the door is ridiculously over the top, and completely unnecessary, but i have always found the door staff very polite and friendly and none of my straight friends have ever had a problem getting in either. please remember that when this bar was spirit it attracted a very low class of clientèle, of the sort that still frequent the venues at the bottom end of bloom street, and there was regularly fighting and trouble there, turning it into a virtual no go zone for gays. since it has been g.a.y. despite having incredibly good drinks offers on on weekdays the bad crowd has been kept out and it now feels very safe in there, i go in regularly with my boyfriend, gay and straight friends, and ive even taken my dad in there, but ive yet to see any trouble or problems. i used to go into view with my sister every weekend but we have now stopped going there as that has turned into a virtual straight bar.
i think we should be able to keep some venues safe, predominately gay and free of hen parties and the groups of straight lads that they attract.
I'm more concerned about the
I'm more concerned about the spate of crimes (mainly robberies of mobile phones, largely targeting gay men, by groups of young straight men) around the village. Both my housemates, two of my neighbours and a friend were robbed for their phones, and in two instances badly beaten, around Essential, Piccadilly and Dale Street. Yet nothing seems to be happening to make these places safer for gay men walking alone.
They're also the only club in
They're also the only club in the village that searches everyone. I'm not comfortable with that level of suspicion.
I was asked this, despite
I was asked this, despite looking gay as fuck at the time. They also don't seem to have membership cards, or the staff claim they don't at the bar.
However this only happens at busy weekends.
I do agree that door policies should be designed to create a safe environment for gay customers. This may mean limiting those who look like they may cause trouble. But naturally some wrong decisions will be made, as decisions have to be made on the spot, and first impressions can be very wrong.
The trouble isn't usually the venues, but individual bouncers making bad decisions. I'm not sure how you'd rectify that, to be honest. If I had to deal with thousands of drunk people every weekend, gay or straight, I'd probably turn most of them away.
And the old myth that "gays
And the old myth that "gays and lesbians have hen and stag parties too." With 94% of the population straight it's obvious who is having hen parties in the main.
Hi, I'd like to talk more
Hi, I'd like to talk more about this, its a very good point you made! would be really good to get your perspective in more detail and include you in the up and coming feature, give me an e-mail if you're interested owenjackwilliams@gmail.com
The Police crime maps speak
The Police crime maps speak for themselves each month. Click on yellow to see violent crime which includes "common assualt, GBH and sexual offences." Bear in mind that 20 years ago this area and ALL gay bars and clubs used to be safe spaces for LGBT people.
http://www.police.uk/crime/?q=Manchester%20M1%203HE,%20UK#crimetypes/201...
Had the same experience with
Had the same experience with G-A-Y on the door.
The attitude of their staff has ensured they will never get a penny out of me ever again. I ended up having a discussion with the duty manager which left me feeling more offended than what the door staff said to me in the first place. If your face fits, then you are fine, however if you are not one of the 'popular ones' then it's members only for you. They obviously don't need my money so they are not going to get it.
I can understand there are 'policies' but after being there for many weeks before and being stone cold sober, it was a shock to me what they think of their customers.
Although I don't live in
Although I don't live in Manchester I visit many times a year and always feel incredibly safe and at home there, I also bring my mum and aunt up for mardi gras and thankfully they have always been made to feel welcome for which I am greatful especially as they both came with me to support me when I did my first pride march in London at the age of 17, they support me and the village welcomes them. I understand that the village is becoming more and more a stomping ground for the stag and hen parties which granted is not ideal but do we really want an environment that refuses entry to our friends and family that support us? If there are bars refusing entry to gay people that don't look gay then yes we have a problem but surely the easiest answer is to not spend our cash in those places in the first place. I remember a well known bar on the street a few years back that was distinctly unsupportive of pride, everyone knew that and no one was in there, nothing says more than people refusing to go into places and spending in the places that do support us
Are you not making the
Are you not making the assumptions of what 'scally lads' are out on the town for? I happen to know that bars such as Queer/Essential use to cater for that group of ppl... Often covering Walls with Burberry material!
I think hen parties are often turned away from some classier establishments.... I for one don't really like the whole tiara/feather boa group... But let's face it... Gay ppl have hen/stag parties too!
And I have been turned away from 'the good bars'... Not due to being too drunk but maybe due to being a larger single gender group. I then had to ask the bouncer to let me in as I know many of the staff/managers and had to ask permission for myself and my friends to come in! Ridiculous!
On a different occaision I was out with 4 friends (were all girls) and had to actually vouch for the behaviour of my friends as they knew I'm gay... But wha about them?! Again... Ridiculous! They are all bi!
The comment (that is on
The comment (that is on twice, for some reason) headed "this is absolutely untrue" was in response to the post headed "The gay village is the most"
Of recent i've stayed away
Of recent i've stayed away from the bulk of canal street. Mainly due to the overwhelming array of hen parties and the likes, which then attract the straight guys. Some guy tried gay bashing me, in the gay village for being gay - what the hell?!
I think people should be reminded that its the GAY village, not just the village as a lot of the signage states. even at pride, why has the GAY been dropped?
i'd be happy for straight guys to be in the gay bars, IF the door staff reminded them that they are in a GAY bar and to respect that fact.
I've had the same issue and
I've had the same issue and I've emailed G-A-Y and I intend to take the matter much further if they continue to ignore my emails. The refusal by a gay club made me, as a gay man, ashamed to be gay!
This is absolutely untrue.
This is absolutely untrue. After a lot of hard work done by the cops, businesses and the council, the village is now one of the safest parts of town. All crime stats for the city centre are publicly available on the GMP website. Compared to a few years back, it has improved significantly and credit should be given where it's due, rather than trotting out the same old nonsense. We aren't victims and shouldn't choose to be.
This is absolutely untrue.
This is absolutely untrue. After a lot of hard work done by the cops, businesses and the council, the village is now one of the safest parts of town. All crime stats for the city centre are publicly available on the GMP website. Compared to a few years back, it has improved significantly and credit should be given where it's due, rather than trotting out the same old nonsense. We aren't victims and shouldn't choose to be.
You're making the assumption
You're making the assumption that you were turned away because you weren't gay enough. Having been going to the Village for a long time (I'm so old - over 30 - GASP), I have to say that I've never encountered this at any of the decent bars. Note: I don't wear pink tutus or speak like John Inman. Generally the good door staff will deploy the "members only" excuse if the crowd is too drunk, rather than too straight. The very good ones will suggest that you take a walk round the block and then come back.
Alternatively, they will use it when it's a group of clearly straight scally lads who are going to cause trouble. Which is - absolutely - the right thing to do, in my opinion...
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