Oxford St gets a lot of bad rap these days, from being called the ‘gay ghetto’ to a buzzing hive of drugs, sluts and booze hounds. Can’t say I disagree — I’ve probably contributed to that perception.
Having recently gone on a holiday to Queensland, I was excited by the chance to experience a different menagerie of bars, beats and boys, but was unpleasantly surprised by what I found.
It was definitely wishful thinking on my part to expect to find an Oxford St on the beach with blond buff surfers lined up looking for a dance. I so desperately wished for something different from the ‘same old, same old’ I’ve come to expect from Arq, Stonewall and Nevermind. Be careful what you wish for.
What I found were straights bars converted into gay bars. Venomous straight girls not quite understanding my penchant for penis, and straight men not realising that their usual watering hole turns into a land of queens once a week.
The music wasn’t even that great. All I wanted was Lady Gaga and Ke$ha. Why is that so hard? The DJ pretty much told me to go away after I screamed “JUDAS!”, a common practice for me in Sydney.
While I was still in the same country and only a few thousand kilometres from home, I felt a bit of culture shock as I came to realise this must be a usual day for the gay men and women who live here.
So for those of you who rip on Oxford St, in the hope there is something better, just don’t. After having experienced a gay life outside my own, I can honestly say that Oxford St is where it’s at.
Don’t ever take this little street we call our own for granted again, because someone, somewhere, in a town very close to Sydney, is dying for that little piece of happiness you can only find a short walk from Taylor Square.
By JESSE MATHESON
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Hey Banks,
(Heh. I’m picturing Banks from Mary Poppins)
I am not arguing that there are people who love Oxford Street. My point is more that there is more out there than just Oxford Street, and that up in Brisbane it’s all very mixed and I feel quite comfortable anywhere I go.
As for getting stares while dancing with a male friend, who cares? I do it all the time, and I tend to think that it’s more my awkward flailing of long arms and legs they’re looking at rather than two men dancing.
Not everything is about being gay. In fact, the fact that I like guys is probably the least important part about me. It’s not something I’m either proud or ashamed of. Why should it be? Oxford Street seems to be for people that live and breath ‘gay’. That’s not really me.
I am someone who actually appreciates that there are places where I can go and comfortably hold hands WITH ANOTHER GUY without being harrassed (it should be) lol.
Excuse me dollz. No I am not a friend of “this guy”.
I am someone who actually appreciates that there are places where I can go and comfortably hold hands without being harassed.
I am someone who appreciates the hard work that the generations did to actually create these types of spaces for me.
I am someone who is not a pent up queen who argues on the “ill’s” of our gay community.
-GASP- There is actually gay people out there who like Oxford st!
p.s Neil : When you go and try out “new places” there usually mixed crouds that stare at you if you are holding another guys hand or if your a male dancing to a ABBA song.
sick and tired of stories about oxford street although i agree with neil……. is ‘banks’ a friend of this guy or what ??
No matter what city you’re in you’ll never find the true spirit of community in a pub or a club.
Just drunk & drag queens.
I can’t applaude you enough! I have basically been saying the same message to people for years. We really don’t respect how much we have here compared to other cities. What I love about our scene is that there is a place for everyone – each club seems to accomodate particular groups in our community.
The one complaint I always here is that the scene is pretentious and judgmemental- People have too take some emotional responsibility with this,If somone makes you feel uncomfortable walk away!
This is article is refreshing for me. Tommorow night when Im sipping on my breezer at the shift or strutting my stuff as I walk down the stairs of Palms – Ill be thinking of this.
Which bars are you referring to Jesse?
Last time I was in Brisbane it seemed to still have its gay vibe, just not as over the top or queen ridden as Sydney.
You’re completely missing my point. Possibly on purpose. Never mind, I give up. Enjoy Oxford Street :)
You’re completely missing my point, but never mind. Enjoy Oxford Street :)
Let me rephrase, strong gay scene, which I didn’t feel there was. Maybe there is one, but from the people I spoke to and from what I experienced, it just felt like the gays came out once a week to get drunk and go home.
I’m not against gay/straight mixing but because the club was actually a straight bar it seemed that many people there were confused by all the gays floating around. It caused a very uncomfortable scenario. Kinda like making out in kings cross.
Finally, 1010 Km, I’ll say ‘few’ is an okay word to use here.
But that’s my point. There is a strong *community* up there. Just because it doesn’t fit what you’re used to in Sydney (gays over here, straights over there, and never leave the strip) doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
As for the uncomfortable mixing of crowds, really? What’s to be uncomfortable about?
(And lastly, unless Brisbane has moved it’s not a few thousand kilometres from Sydney unless you flew via Adelaide)
Neil – I was happy with the fact that Brisbane didn’t have an Oxford St set-up, but it was just a shame that because there was no strong gay community up there, from what I saw, which ended up mixing crowds in a way that can make some feel uncomfortable.
You’re too amazing
xx
I think the reason for that is Sydney is pretty much the only place I’ve been out where the gays seem so desperate to have their own place and place so much attention on it being a ‘gay club’ or a ‘straight club’.
Get out there and try some new places. You might be surprised.