Letters to the Editor

Blair’s is Theirs

I am co-editor of the Lavender Voice in northern New York. In
(recent issues) of OIT M, there were two negative comments about
Blair’s (the gay bar) in Plattsburgh. What do you people want? The
North Country is a tough place to be gay, and we are lucky to have
Blair’s. I live 75 miles west of Plattsburgh, and Blair’s is an oasis in
the desert of isolation in our rural area. Jill, the owner, is supportive
of the les/gay community here, and she deserves all the credit we can
extend to her. She sponsors drag shows, parties, picnics, and other
activities. Jill allots space for our papers: The Stonewall, OITM, the
Lavender Voice, Prism...

Blair’s is a clean, cozy, friendly bar.  I have been to (135 Pearl).
Blair’s may be small, but it's OURS. Come check it out!

Flo.-say Powell

Brushton, NY
*****

Four Weddings and a Bad Movie

I was shocked to see the film Four Weddings and a Funeral listed
in your Queer Top 10 for 1994. (And #3 at that!) I am even more
outraged at one of the reasons you gave for this to be a “special film
for gays  the main (straight) characters sleep together before falling
in love  straight romance on the gay plan”. By writing this, you
reinforce the myth that we are all sex-starved maniacs who have sex
first and ask questions later. Shame on you!

Besides your offensive comment, this film all but ignores the fact that
two of the characters are gay lovers! While watching this movie, I
commented to my friend that two of the men seem to be lovers,
judging by a few comments and glances that they give each other.
My friend thought that I was pulling my old “everyone is gay”
routine. It is not until one of the men die that the film acknowledges
that these men were lovers. Everyone is shocked by the revelation of
their relationship. And to make matters worse, Hugh Grant(‘s
character), the main character and best friend of these men, had no
idea that they were either gay or in love?!? Hello, homophobia! How
is this a good movie for gay visibility? (Or a good movie at all?)

February 1995

135 Pearl: Queer Ghetto Neutral?

C.T. Creevs’ letter in the December issue of 0ITM on the recent
discussion by the management of (135 Pearl) to open the bar and
dance hall to all patrons regardless of sexual orientation was deeply
offensive to me, and I cannot allow her comments (or his comments,
since Creevs’ first name was not published in full) to go
unanswered.

I am an openly bisexual male who moved to Burlington last August
after living in the so-called “queer mecca”, San Francisco, for 13
years.  I (became) disgusted with the “queer ghetto” separatist
mentality that permeates San Francisco’s gays and lesbians, a
mentality that is heterophobic and denies the existence of bisexuals.

Creevs’ letter smacked of the very “queer ghetto” mentality that I
could no longer stomach in San Francisco. What makes Creevs
think that everyone at (135 Pearl) who doesn’t display the “look" of
big-city gays and lesbians is heterosexual? Has the thought ever
occurred to Creevs that the man dancing with a woman on the dance
floor  (or vice—versa) is bisexual.

Furthermore, by calling upon (135 Pearl) management to make the
nightspot a “queers only” space, Creevs displayed his or her
ignorance of the fact that (135 Pearl) is prohibited by the Burlington
Human Rights Ordinance from discriminating against heterosexuals,
just as Club Toast and the Metronome are barred from
discriminating against gays and lesbians. The law cuts both ways,
C.T.

 Perhaps C.T. Creevs would fare better in San Francisco than in
Burlington  Burlington’s gay, lesbian, and bisexual community
can do without that San Francisco “queer ghetto” mentality.

Ekeeter Sandere
Burlington V

Tom Aloisi
Burlington
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