What’s going on Oxford St?

Late last night I received word that a dear friend was attacked while out on a weekend social with his work colleagues.

Last Friday at 7pm, he decided to race to the St George ATM to grab $20 while having a few drinks after work at Stonewall.

He had almost completed his transaction when a girl screamed, Hey you, poofta. Naturally my friend turned around to see what the commotion was about, only to be met with a punch in the face by an unidentified man who then ripped his money and wallet from his hands and ran off, leaving my friend hurt, bleeding and slumped against the ATM.

I still can’t believe it -“ 7pm on a Friday? What is the strip coming to? More importantly, what the hell can we as a community do about it?

This really has me in a tailspin. We can tell everyone to be safe, to walk in groups, to report all incidents; but if we are doing all this and we are still being attacked what are we supposed to do?

Questions arise not only from the attack on my friend, but also from the many others we hear about -“ and all too regularly these days.

The weekend before last there were at least three vicious anti-gay attacks on the strip, and there always seems to be news of one in the pages of SSO.

So the question is, where are the police? Is there a police presence at all on Oxford St? And if we call them, are they going to treat us like it was our fault or going to be helpful or even turn up for that matter?

We hear that the city has cameras installed to deter these idiots from hurting us -“ but are they working or are they just a Band-Aid to stop us from whining?

I recently did an advertising campaign for Bite Me Burger Co. with my friend and fellow showgirl Beyonce.

Last week SSO carried a story about some sections of the community not being happy about it opening in the Gowings building. And online commentators have since equated it with opening a store that is likely to attract people who make gay bashing a sport.

But I think we have missed the point on this one. Bite Me is and will continue to be a good community citizen. It employs a lot of gay people, is a part of the Food and Wine Fair and is about to embark on a string of community sponsorship and support programs. They are, to put it bluntly, out there doing their bit to support us.

What I would like to see is our clubs do a little more to broaden the umbrella of protection when we are socialising on what we consider to be our turf.

There are now clubs on the strip that aren’t safe for a showgirl -“ or other gays and lesbians for that matter -“ to walk past.

I have been heckled not only by punters -“ What the fuck are you, faggot? is a common cry -“ but also by security guards, the very people who are employed to keep the crowds in check.

I have been spat at, pushed and even forced onto the street so a drunken, homophobic pack didn’t have to disband to get past me.

Of course I usually say nothing, but that too feels like another blow. I don’t see why I should be expected to change who I am or skulk around the shadows in a place that for so long has stood as a beacon in the fight for equality and tolerance.

It is time we as a community stood up and stood proud and reclaimed the street we have long considered our safe haven.