Straight people have been told that they should stop going to LGBTQ+ clubs as they are disrupting queer safe spaces.
A new wave of cases involving people being spiked by injection has caused many to turn away from their regular clubs, and towards those attributed to the LGBTQ+ community.
Viaduct Showbar
Alanah Glasby works at Viaduct Showbar, a queer cabaret bar located in the heart of Leeds’ LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.
Viaduct regulars have complained of the intimidating number of straight people present in the bar and of scenarios where groups of straight people have harassed them in what they thought was their safe space.
When asked on their opinion on straight people being welcomed in to safe spaces, Alanah stated, “I was a straight person who went in to Viaduct and got a job there, so to cut someone off and single them out, and have the idea of them being there being wrong just based off their sexual orientation, I disagree with.”
Queer Community Backlash
Members of the queer community responded to the ‘disruption’ of their safe spaces in a post on the LeedsFess Facebook page, suggesting that, “[Straight people] are causing LGBT+ people to lose one of the few safe spaces we have.”
Other Facebook users took the post out of context, with some commenting, “Complete nonsense,” and others feeling offended that they weren’t allowed into certain clubs due to their sexuality and gender.
Government Response
Cases of spiking have risen throughout the UK and scared club goers have called upon the government to pass new laws to cut down on the problem.
Priti Patel has asked for a police briefing on the injection cases but many are still waiting for the government to officially respond.
To protect themselves when going on a night out, people have began using creative ways of preventing spiking including drink check wristbands, spiking prevention scrunchies and reusable bottle stoppers, but there is no protection against injections.
