Four community members share their thoughts on allowing others into safe spaces
FOURSIGHT
John Sizzle (he/him) Former co-owner of The Glory, now owner of The Divine
The whole world is made for ‘straight’ people — literally everything is designed with them in mind. There’s next to nothing designed specifically for our community, for our culture. After nine years of working on The Glory, I’ve come to realise that venues like these have a role to play in the personal development of a young LGBTQ+ individual, whether that be expressing their sense of style, sexuality, gender, or politics. People gain confidence in such places. This is the true meaning of SAFE. This is a safe space for you to mature into yourself and go forth into that tricky — and often hostile — straight world with a degree of confidence and empowerment. When I came out and navigated late 80s and 90s London, there were literally hundreds of bars and clubs for us to go to — pretty much something for everyone — and I was never short of an elder gay or lesbian to impart the ways of the world. It’s not like that today, as spaces are often mixed, and we’re reasonably tolerated in hetero venues like Wetherspoons! But there’s nothing like a ‘queer only’ space. Allies welcome of course — but only if they know their place… and are good dancers.
Lerone Clarke-Oliver (he/him) ROAST co-founder
No, not all LGBTQ+ spaces should be reserved for LGBTQ+ people. It’s important for LGBTQ+ allies to have spaces to enjoy our culture, but it is also paramount that there are spaces exclusively for our community. The reality is that trans people, for example, have a vastly different lived experience from gay men. While we all deserve to feel safe, we can’t ignore that safety is not afforded to all of our LGBTQ+ siblings. London is a great example of a city allowing its LGBTQ+ community to take agency over who it welcomes into its spaces. ROAST, London’s foremost men-only fortnightly club night, which I’m proud to be a co-founder of, works, in part, because it is a space free from others. Providing a space exclusively for us allows us to be our authentic selves. A true ally should understand and welcome that there are spaces for the community, and appreciate why those spaces are not afforded to them too. There should always be LGBTQ+ spaces open to all. We are as diverse in culture and lived experience as our heterosexual cousins, and many of us want to take them along for the ride.
Kate Butch (she/her) Drag qu
