Their Village

Malced said:
segregating on musical preference isn't really a read-across to segregating on sexual preference.
we can all appreciate each other and our differences in day to day life. there's no need to organise a town district around being gay.
it's odd to me to want to have a separate area of town just because you like the someone of the same sex. there's no need. and it's discriminatory of sexual preference which is what we're meant to be moving away from.
Click to expand...
I think organising is a better word than segregating... Segregating implies some kind of enforced separateness and I'm not sure that's really what happens these days at all. That said, I think that the LGBTQ+ nightlife and culture has developed a certain kind of vibe to it and that is something that adds a point of difference to a Town or City. That vibe is reflected in the clothing, the music, the type of entertainment etc..

I could see why some Families or more conservative individuals might feel uncomfortable with that 'vibe' and I can see why others might be attracted to it... I can also see how people who want to dress and behave in a certain way might want to do so in a comfortable environment. To my mind it makes absolute sense to have a distinct area and I'm struggling to see how on earth it could ever be looked upon as discriminatory.... To my mind it's just a differently 'Themed' area to go for a night out, simple as that.... However you enter the area with respect, understanding and an open mind for other people.

I think we have to accept that we don't all like the same things... I'm sure that there will be plenty of homosexual people who prefer a different kind of night out and likewise plenty of heterosexual people who would enjoy the vibe of the Gay Village....And folk will naturally gravitate towards like minded people, who enjoy the same things they want to do ... And sometimes you just fancy doing something different.

I think every Town and City tends to have different areas that are a reflection of the Cultural Influences upon that area. Blackpool has always had a thriving Gay Community and so it seems perfectly normal to me that it ought to be reflected in the make up of the Town Centre and it's nightlife.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think organising is a better word than segregating... Segregating implies some kind of enforced separateness and I'm not sure that's really what happens these days at all. That said, I think that the LGBTQ+ nightlife and culture has developed a certain kind of vibe to it and that is something that adds a point of difference to a Town or City. That vibe is reflected in the clothing, the music, the type of entertainment etc..

I could see why some Families or more conservative individuals might feel uncomfortable with that 'vibe' and I can see why others might be attracted to it... I can also see how people who want to dress and behave in a certain way might want to do so in a comfortable environment. To my mind it makes absolute sense to have a distinct area and I'm struggling to see how on earth it could ever be looked upon as discriminatory.... To my mind it's just a differently 'Themed' area to go for a night out, simple as that.... However you enter the area with respect, understanding and an open mind for other people.

I think we have to accept that we don't all like the same things... I'm sure that there will be plenty of homosexual people who prefer a different kind of night out and likewise plenty of heterosexual people who would enjoy the vibe of the Gay Village....And folk will naturally gravitate towards like minded people, who enjoy the same things they want to do ... And sometimes you just fancy doing something different.

I think every Town and City tends to have different areas that are a reflection of the Cultural Influences upon that area. Blackpool has always had a thriving Gay Community and so it seems perfectly normal to me that it ought to be reflected in the make up of the Town Centre and it's nightlife.
Click to expand...
It's really quite simple. True equality on sexual preference is when it's treated exactly the same and it's not 'a thing'.
The days of needing gay areas and gay bars should be a thing of the past. Gay people don't need to find a gay friendly pub or B&B. It's backward thinking borne out of when they were indeed discriminated against. When gays felt they did need to find a safe space to be themselves.
If a gay couple are heading out on a night out, why do they need to head to a venue which is for gay clientele? Why do they need to be surrounded by other gay folk? That is discriminatory. It's a hangover from when they were mistreated.
That's my view anyways, but you can have yours.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Malced said:
It's really quite simple. True equality on sexual preference is when it's treated exactly the same and it's not 'a thing'.
The days of needing gay areas and gay bars should be a thing of the past. Gay people don't need to find a gay friendly pub or B&B. It's backward thinking borne out of when they were indeed discriminated against. When gays felt they did need to find a safe space to be themselves.
If a gay couple are heading out on a night out, why do they need to head to a venue which is for gay clientele? Why do they need to be surrounded by other gay folk? That is discriminatory. It's a hangover from when they were mistreated.
That's my view anyways, but you can have yours.
Click to expand...
So are you saying that everyone should be forced to engage in the same type of night out and we can't have any cultural kinds of variation?

That people who share similar social and cultural identities shouldn't be allowed to assimilate?

Taking that to it's extreme we might also say that Pensioners or War Veterans couldn't have their own Clubs or Football Fans shouldn't have their own Clubs, No Adult Only places and definitely no Naturist Camps.... No Conservative Clubs... No Religious Gatherings.... No Curry Mile... No China Town or SOHO... No Notting Hill Carnival....

Just rows and rows of beige coloured Bars (each with a different musical genre - because we're allowed to have different musical taste of course) full of one Irishmen, one Englishmen, one Scotsman, one jews, one gays, one Lesbian, one trans person, one Black, a disabled person and someone with ADHD....

Oh and you go and spend an evening in some of the Gay Hotels in Blackpool and tell me how well the extra curricular activities would go down in the average Premier Inn..🤣

Edit: I’ll also just add, that issues still exist for Homosexual people in our society. I’ve had this conversation with a mate and he’s been threatened and subject to abuse on a regular basis.
 
Last edited:
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
So are you saying that everyone should be forced to engage in the same type of night out and we can't have any cultural kinds of variation?

That people who share similar social and cultural identities shouldn't be allowed to assimilate?

Taking that to it's extreme we might also say that Pensioners or War Veterans couldn't have their own Clubs or Football Fans shouldn't have their own Clubs, No Adult Only places and definitely no Naturist Camps.... No Conservative Clubs... No Religious Gatherings.... No Curry Mile... No China Town or SOHO... No Notting Hill Carnival....

Just rows and rows of beige coloured Bars (each with a different musical genre - because we're allowed to have different musical taste of course) full of one Irishmen, one Englishmen, one Scotsman, one jews, one gays, one Lesbian, one trans person, one Black, a disabled person and someone with ADHD....

Oh and you go and spend an evening in some of the Gay Hotels in Blackpool and tell me how well the extra curricular activities would go down in the average Premier Inn..🤣

Edit: I’ll also just add, that issues still exist for Homosexual people in our society. I’ve had this conversation with a mate and he’s been threatened and subject to abuse on a regular basis.
Click to expand...
Of course discrimination still exists. I've certainly not denied that. Racism, ageism, sexism, and all types of discrimination still exist, and always will. But we don't have separate areas for LBTQ in the workplace, or on a bus, or at the library, in a cafe, at the hospital, or anywhere else. That would be illegal. What you have instead is equality. This flies in the face of that.
What you've got is a spill-over from times gone by, and now you're happy for that to be perpetuated in a celebration of sexual preference. I don't see why it's needed, or what it achieves other than to see the gay community as 'different' - which thereby reinforces the discrimination (whether that be by their own choice or not).
All the examples you've given are nothing at all to do with it.

I'm not sure what you're imagining about the goings on in a hotel. LGBTQ shouldn't be seen as debauchery or anti-social behaviour. In fact surely most gay people would be offended if they thought we thought they needed a gay specific hotel as their antics were depraved in some way. They would have their own room in a premier inn with its own walls and door.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Malced said:
Of course discrimination still exists. I've certainly not denied that. Racism, ageism, sexism, and all types of discrimination still exist, and always will. But we don't have separate areas for LBTQ in the workplace, or on a bus, or at the library, in a cafe, at the hospital, or anywhere else. That would be illegal. What you have instead is equality. This flies in the face of that.
What you've got is a spill-over from times gone by, and now you're happy for that to be perpetuated in a celebration of sexual preference. I don't see why it's needed, or what it achieves other than to see the gay community as 'different' - which thereby reinforces the discrimination (whether that be by their own choice or not).
All the examples you've given are nothing at all to do with it.
Click to expand...
As I said earlier, I think you're getting hung up on the idea of 'separation' ... The days of Gay Villages being restricted to only Gay People are long since gone. The LBTGQ+ Group is expanding so fast it probably covers 30% of youth society as it is.. But the Gay village is somewhere that everyone who wants to can enjoy... Similarly other areas can and will be enjoyed by Gay people...

And of course it's a spill over of times gone by.... As are loads of different cultural influences and areas or forms of entertainment.... The Theatre is a spill over from times gone by, an Irish themed bar is a spill over from times gone by.... It doesn't mean that we shouldn't allow people to retain their cultural identity and right to association, that's just a ridiculously peevish and extremely boring way to look at life and it's also very Anti-British.... This country has absolutely thrived on our interest in and incorporation of all sorts of different influences... It's what makes life so interesting.

I also don't understand what the problem is in Gay People or Gay Culture being thought of as different? Or exactly why that would reinforce discrimination? Surely the idea that straight people have access to an area where they can explore and enjoy Gay Culture and have fun, maybe even explore their own sexuality or gender bend and whatever is a good thing and will only serve as a catalyst for positive change...

The examples I gave to you are all examples of people who are choosing to associate with like minded souls in an environment that meets their needs.
 
@Malced (or anyone else for that matter)... Just out of interest, what would you propose that we do with that area of the Town instead?

I mean obviously we have a LBGTQ+ scene and that attracts people into the Town, we have numerous Hotels and businesses with an established client base etc.. I'm assuming that many folk who currently choose to go out in Blackpool and enjoy that scene, might well end up taking their business elsewhere, perhaps people might even choose to relocate etc. if we simply shut it down... So what do we do ?

Is it just a case of sorry folks but Blackpool is no longer accommodating your culture ... A sort of FIFO (Fit in or Fuck Off) kind of mentality?

Or do we just let the area continue to go down hill and phase it all out gradually?
 
B_Side_The_C_Side said:
Having grown up in a city with it's own gay area full of pubs, clubs and restaurants and then lived in Manchester when Canal Street started to grow into a huge money making landmark where gay and straight went out to drink....
The idea of having a 'gay area' in Blackpool makes total sense, both commercially and socially.

Young gay men and women don't want to end up in the same pub as some spiced up local, dribbling beer down their Sports Direct t-shirt (Think Bar 19) They want to socialise with people who have a similar 'outlook' they know they can connect with.

That's why Wetherspoons is full of fat bald men in their 50's drinking Carlsberg at 8.00am
Party pubs are full of pissed up Lads in fake Stone Island, vaping cherry coke, gummy bear flavor and speed drinking cheap larger

Who wouldnt want an area that catered to your particular need....makes sense

I'm sure if there was a pub called the "Gammon & Daily Mail" or the "I'm not really a right wing racist"....it would be packed with 🤔
Click to expand...
Plenty of cheap shots at the vast majority of people in the country in that post. If it was the other way round you’d be getting pelters. What a strange world we live in. And I’d much rather have a pint in Spoons then any establishment you’d be supping in 😀
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I’d also say that particularly Gay Men like to engage in certain ‘overt’ sexual practices, that are fine when you are in a safe and comfortable environment, but likely wouldn’t translate too well into the general population
Click to expand...
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The LBTQ+ area is always going to be a bit more flamboyant and cater to a particular taste.. maybe drag shows, clubs, group sex hotels, fetish based clothing etc…
Click to expand...
I find it fascinating how knowledgeable @BFC_BFC_BFC is on this subject. As a gay man with loads of gay mates all of the above is about as far away from our lives as you could get!
Strangely am in a pub at the moment with a pint watching the City game and am in a jeans and t-shirt. Believe this poster and I’d be in leather chaps with a gimp mask and a bloke riding me whilst I was sat here in front of families!
Get real mate - you, @Malced and @Gods honest truth are either all closet or homophobes - either way, you are all spouting uttter crap!
 
Mr_Brightside said:
I find it fascinating how knowledgeable @BFC_BFC_BFC is on this subject. As a gay man with loads of gay mates all of the above is about as far away from our lives as you could get!
Strangely am in a pub at the moment with a pint watching the City game and am in a jeans and t-shirt. Believe this poster and I’d be in leather chaps with a gimp mask and a bloke riding me whilst I was sat here in front of families!
Get real mate - you, @Malced and @Gods honest truth are either all closet or homophobes - either way, you are all spouting uttter crap!
Click to expand...

I’ve got gay mates too and a gay family member. I’ve had gay colleagues. You don’t have the monopoly on the topic but you’re entitled to your views. Incidentally, you’ve not given them, other than to say you disagree with what’s been said already.

BFC and I have totally different opinions so where are you at on this? Pray tell.

And by the way, I’d like to know what exactly it is I’ve said that’s homophobic.

I’m happy to be enlightened. Is there anything at all, or are you throwing out label slurs, hysterically, as is par for the course on avftt?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mr_Brightside said:
I find it fascinating how knowledgeable @BFC_BFC_BFC is on this subject. As a gay man with loads of gay mates all of the above is about as far away from our lives as you could get!
Strangely am in a pub at the moment with a pint watching the City game and am in a jeans and t-shirt. Believe this poster and I’d be in leather chaps with a gimp mask and a bloke riding me whilst I was sat here in front of families!
Get real mate - you, @Malced and @Gods honest truth are either all closet or homophobes - either way, you are all spouting uttter crap!
Click to expand...
As I've said @Mr_Brightside not everyone is the same... If you actually took time to read all of my posts and the full extent of my comments, instead of honing in on a couple of contents and misinterpreting what I was saying completely and then taking offence. I wasn't referring to ALL Gay People, but moreso the type of nightlife, entertainment and scene, which is culturally associated with the LGBTQ+ 'Community'. All sorts of people are attracted to that 'scene', including plenty of heterosexual folk.

There's nothing homophobic in anything I've said on here at all.. A word thrown around like ** confetti these days...Anyway.. Enjoy your victim status ... 👍
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
As I've said @Mr_Brightside not everyone is the same... If you actually took time to read all of my posts and the full extent of my comments, instead of honing in on a couple of contents and misinterpreting what I was saying completely and then taking offence. I wasn't referring to ALL Gay People, but moreso the type of nightlife, entertainment and scene, which is culturally associated with the LGBTQ+ 'Community'. All sorts of people are attracted to that 'scene', including plenty of heterosexual folk.

There's nothing homophobic in anything I've said on here at all.. A word thrown around like ** confetti these days...Anyway.. Enjoy your victim status ... 👍
Click to expand...

Remember the days when homophobia meant homophobia?

What we have here is you saying there should be a gay community village, and myself saying that true equality is having full integration and no need to distinguish.
Either way they’re both not at all homophobic positions. Both of our viewpoints are supportive of gay people. Neither is right or wrong, it’s just our opinions.
Gay people may disagree with us, and, indeed undoubtedly, with each other on this. But there’s nothing homophobic about either position.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top