by ADAM RICHARD
Yesterday Mamamia published an article by comedian Nath Valvo, who wrote about his experiences at a gay nightclub in Melbourne, The Peel. Nath went to the club with a heterosexual female friend. The pair were required to line up separately to other clientele in a ‘gays with girls’ line and his friend was made to promise not to engage in ‘heterosexual behaviour’ before the two were allowed into the club. Nath was not impressed and you can read his post here.
Today, comedian Adam Richard responds:
Here are some disclaimers: Nath Valvo is a friend, and a frequent guest on my gay comedy and lifestyle podcast The Poofcast. I have been going to The Peel for more than 20 years, and for a time was employed at The Peel to host karaoke and mud wrestling nights. So: I am far from impartial.
Having said that, I feel compelled to say to Nath and his straight lady friend, who had to agree to strict behaviour during a recent trip to said establishment: “Too bad, so sad.” (This, of course, is said with the eye-rolling disregard of a teenager at a train station, who is far more interested in checking her phone for Facebook updates than being involved in a conversation.)
The community has every right to be outraged by the door policy at The Peel, but by entering the building and encouraging a friend to do so as well – then you’re accepting and condoning the policy. The outrage of sober hindsight is just that, hindsight. We’re human beings. We have choices. We can choose to enter the building or we can refuse and in doing so, refuse to finance the club’s policies with our purchases.