StraightsReadThis

Rules Of Conduct For Straight People

1. Keep your display of affection (kissing, handholding, embracing) to a minimum. Your sexuality is unwanted and offensive to many here.
2. If you must slow dance, be as inconspicuous as possible.
3. Do not gawk or stare at lesbians or gay men, especially bull dykes or drag queens. We are not your entertainment.
4. If you cannot comfortably deal with someone of the same sex making a pass at you, get out.
5. Do not flaunt your heterosexuality. Be Discreet. Risk being mistaken for a lezzie or a homo.
6. If you feel these rules are unfair, go fight homophobia in straight clubs, or:
7. Go Fuck Yourself.

originally published on posters in the Castro in the 1980s. Copied out of a leaflet distributed at the Pride march in New York, June 1990, borrowed from the AnchorArchive

Comments

Obvious questions:

• One wonders just how much gay people do for the entertainment/attention of others. On the one hand, you can claim not to give a fuck, on the other hand, many do go out of their way to be as freaky as possible. Where is the line between being openly gay and vying for the attention of an imagined audience? Are there better ways to deal with homophobia than some hamhanded primate dominance gestures? Someone barks at you, you can bark back, or you can laugh at them.

A page on how to effictively/safely Respond To Homophobia would be nice.