A Celebratn Of The Glor Gay Club

Contents:

• A CELEBRATN OF THE GLOR GAY CLUB
• THE DOS & DON'TS OF GAY CLUBBG
• SURVIVG THE GAY JUNGLE AKA A GUI TO GAY CLUBBG

A CELEBRATN OF THE GLOR GAY CLUB

On a balmy summer’s eveng, walkg down Manchter’s Canal Street wh a iend, I stepped to my first gay bar.

I was seventeen, only two people the world - me and him - knew I was gay.

I lgh at the absurdy of all now, but that first tentative step to the gay world, my world, was a fg experience. I will always remember my first proper gay club experience at Missn Leeds. My first memorable gay clubbg experience was at Circ London.

THE DOS & DON'TS OF GAY CLUBBG

Gay clubs played such an important part of my life as this was where I felt I was disverg myself and lettg go of any fears I held onto growg up. The first time I walked to a Queer gay club Manchter - after seeg plac on Canal Street feature Queer As Folk - every expectatn I uld have imaged was met.

It was a night of many firsts: my first gay bar, first drag show, the first time I ever kissed a boy public. More than all of this though, for the first time I was surround by people who appeared totally reee by the one thg that had ed me so much anguish throughout my teens – beg gay. For me, The Joer's (RIP) was a really important gay venue.

SURVIVG THE GAY JUNGLE AKA A GUI TO GAY CLUBBG

As well as enablg me to lnch my club night, was the centre of East London's thrivg gay muny and a wicked night out. The venu were/are rponsible for nurturg unique mic scen and providg a space for gays to tly be themselv.

But I n't remember many other tim feelg so elated, eher: to feel at ease, to feel wele, to feel that I didn't have to look over my shoulr to see who was watchg, or to worry about beg gay. Workg on London’s scene I appreciate and unrstand that for members of the LGBTI muny, gay clubs and bars are more than jt plac to socialise. The party Beyond is a perfect example of what is great about the London gay scene.

Origally om Crawley I wasn’t really exposed to many gay venu or clubs, so when I first me to London and went to Beyond for the first time I was amazed that a place like this even existed, somewhere to dance, hangout and meet iends for life. The non-stereotypil si of the gay scene, you know? Where the ftivi are powerfully over-done, where you fd out your last girliend is also gay, and where you n fd a sharp, betiful man who betrays his ‘sy’ beds on Warren Street wh bright ey and anecdot of John McDonnell.