A straight woman who brought her cis, straight male friend to a lesbian bar in New York City has sparked a heated debate on TikTok about the meaning and importance of queer spaces.
The woman, who goes by the username @jessicamayy, posted a video on the app explaining that she went to Cubbyhole Bar—one of the few remaining lesbian bars in the country—with her lesbian friend, who invited her to experience the LGBTQ+ nightlife. She then decided to invite her straight guy friend to join them, thinking it would be fine since he was with them.
However, things took a sour turn when a lesbian customer at the bar confronted the man and asked him what he was doing there. The woman claimed that the customer was rude and aggressive, and that they felt unwelcome and unsafe. They decided to leave the bar shortly after.
The woman ended her video with a question that sparked a lot of backlash from the LGBTQ+ community: “But I was just curious. Are straight males not allowed to go to a lesbian bar?”
Many lesbians on TikTok responded to the video, expressing their frustration and anger at the woman’s ignorance and entitlement. They explained that lesbian bars are meant to be safe spaces for queer women, who face discrimination, harassment, and violence in mainstream society and venues. They argued that straight men have no place in lesbian bars, especially if they are not respectful and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community.
One of the responders was the woman who confronted the man at the bar, who goes by the username @kaylajean. She shared her side of the story, saying that she was polite and calm when she asked the man why he was there. She said that she was concerned about the safety and comfort of the other lesbians at the bar, who might feel threatened or uncomfortable by the presence of a straight man. She also said that she was offended by the woman’s question, which implied that lesbian bars are open to anyone and that queer spaces are not important or valid.
Cubbyhole Bar has not commented on the incident, but has posted a message on its website thanking its customers for their loyalty and love. The bar, which opened in 1994, is one of the oldest and most iconic lesbian bars in the country, and has been a staple of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City.
The controversy has sparked a larger conversation about the need and value of queer spaces, especially for marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community, such as lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people. Many TikTok users have expressed their support and solidarity for the lesbian bar and its patrons, and have urged straight people to respect and protect queer spaces.
