I'm not into leather, denim, combat or rubber fetish wear and I'm not a bear, cub or chub admirer. However, I would argue for the rights of those that enjoy these things. During the 1980s, when the climate toward gay people in the UK was a lot harsher than today, I did my bit to fight for equality.
I went on marches and attended rallies to protest at the prejudices against people living with HIV, to protest about Section 28 and to protest at agent provocateur, entrapment tactics by the police. Working as an actor, as I was at the time, I helped produce work that was concerned with these issues. Equality and fair play has always been important to me.
It's particularly disappointing to hear then that the Eagle, one of Cardiff's newer gay bars, has been asking women to leave the premises. To be honest, I can't understand why any woman would want to go to there; with their rubber and leather themed nights, their boot camp nights, their bears, cubs and chubs nights and their soft porn video displays on every wall. However, again, I would argue for the rights of those that enjoy these things.
There has always existed a misogynous streak in some gay men. The terms, fag hag, fruit fly, fish and a whole host of other nicknames are testament to this. And, as much as lesbians and gay men have campaigned together for equality down the years, it's never been an easy alliance. It seems some animals are more equal than others.
As a part of society that has had to fight to be accepted (and we ain't there yet), we really ought to know better. We're on thin ice...
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