31st July 2004 (# 3) News Clippings Digest
1. Detroit Free Press BEHIND THE SCENES: Gay
marriage kept out of national spotlight
2. Detroit Free Press NAMES AND FACES: Simpsons
gay and proud
3. Family News In Focus APA Endorses Gay Marriage.
The American Psychological Association (APA) has endorsed gay
marriage and homosexual parenting, claiming there is very little difference between same-sex and traditional families.
4. CBC North - Canada YUKON decision
on gay marriage hailed by activists. Canada's gay rights activists are applauding a Supreme Court
decision from the Yukon
earlier this month. They say the same-sex marriage ruling is a landmark decision for gay rights across the country.
5. Blue Springs Examiner GAY marriage
debate rages
Doug Gray, spokesman for the Constitution Defense League, said even if the amendment fails gay marriage
in Missouri would still be against the law.
6. Gay Wired GAY Marriage Moves To Oregon Supreme Court
A lawsuit challenging an Oregon law that bars same-sex marriage will skip the Appeals Court and move directly to the state Supreme Court, the
justices agreed Wednesday. That means the ultimate decision on gay marriage in Oregon will likely come in months instead of years.
7. Southern
Voice THIRTEEN states may vote on gay
marriage bans
First constitutional amendment goes to Mo. voters on Tuesday.
Across the country, gay marriage opponents and proponents are gearing up for serious battle as voters in up to 13 states may weigh constitutional
amendments this year.
8. Washington Blade OPINION: MURPHY’S
Law for gay sex. Like a lot of gay men, I seem to be stuck screwing
guys I don’t want to date and dating guys I don’t want to screw.
9. Southern Voice The beat goes on. Dance spots
keep rhythm after two popular gay destinations close their doors
BEHIND THE SCENES: Gay marriage kept out of national spotlight
July 30, 2004
BY DANA HULL
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
BOSTON -- Since May, gay and lesbian residents of Massachusetts have been
able to marry their partners.
But the issue of gay marriage was barely whispered from the podium during the
Democratic National Convention this week. Party strategists and gay and
lesbian delegates say the controversial fight for equal marriage rights must
take a back seat -- for now -- to the more immediate goal of defeating
Republican President George W. Bush.
Sen. John Kerry supports civil unions but opposes gay marriage at the federal
level and in his home state of Massachusetts, a position that has angered
some Democratic activists.
The convention included 4,300 delegates, nearly 250 of whom were gay.
But the openly gay speakers who addressed the convention, from Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin
to congressional candidate Jim Stork of Florida, steered clear of the gay marriage issue.
"I call it the Stepford convention," said Robin Tyler of www.DontAmend.com , an organization opposed to efforts to ban gay marriage with
a constitutional amendment. "Everybody is going by the script because they are so afraid that
Bush will get in. But behind the scenes, it's like, don't worry, wink, wink; we'll take care of you."
Democrats, however, are hardly united in supporting marriage for gays and lesbians. A recent CBS-New York Times poll of 955 adults showed that only 40 percent
of Democrats said gay couples should be allowed to marry legally. The poll was conducted July
11-15 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
In many ways, there were two conventions going on this week.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who in February handed marriage licenses to gay couples shortly
after taking office, was a California delegate. Though he's a rising star in the Democratic Party, he wasn't invited to address
the convention because he's so closely identified with an issue that party centrists -- who
want to bring moderate, culturally conservative swing voters into the Democratic tent -- want
to avoid.
But at night, at parties in clubs and restaurants across Boston, the tall and
striking 36-year-old mayor was often the star of the show and lauded for his stance.
On Tuesday, the hottest ticket in town was to a GQ party in Newsom's honor at the Federalist, a chic restaurant.
Vanessa Kerry told a breakfast gathering of journalists earlier this week
that gay marriage is the one area in which she disagrees with her father.
"I personally believe in gay marriage," the Harvard medical student said.
"And he believes in civil unions, which is still equal rights under the law."
Many gay delegates said they understand why the party has focused on national security, the war
on terrorism and restoring economic opportunities to the middle class instead.
"It's not a part of the platform," said Anna Damiani, 48, an alternate
delegate from San Francisco. "But we'll get there. The main thing is that
we've got to get Bush out of there. Our lives depend on it. If the Republicans want to make gay
marriage a wedge issue, let them."
Detroit Free Press - Detroit,MI,USA
NAMES AND FACES: Simpsons gay and proud
July 30, 2004
Let's see -- first, Homer Simpson learned to respect homosexuals after gay antique dealer John (voiced by John Waters) saved him from a herd of angry reindeer.
Then, Homer moved to Springfield's gay neighborhood, moved in with a pair of flamboyant housemates
and even enjoyed a same-sex smooch.
Yes -- Homer's ties to the gay community will get even tighter.
Over last weekend, fanatics flocked to a panel at San Diego's Comic-Con
convention hoping to get information about the upcoming season of "The
Simpsons" and got an earful about the latest from Springfield.
"We have a show where, to raise money, Springfield legalizes gay marriage," producer Al Jean told clamoring fans. "Homer becomes a minister by going on the Internet
and filling out a form. A longtime character comes out of the closet, but I'm not saying who."
But creator Matt Groening said: "It's Homer." Joking? Wait and watch.
July 30, 2004
APA Endorses Gay Marriage
by Steve Jordahl,
correspondent
The American Psychological Association has made a decision many call less about science than politics.
The American Psychological Association (APA) has endorsed gay marriage and homosexual parenting, claiming there is very little difference between same-sex and
traditional families.
But some APA members are saying the organization is making more of a
political statement than one backed by scientific research.
The resolution cites dozens of studies that, according to the APA, find most of the problems homosexuals have result from the discrimination they face.
"A review of the literature, of the empirical literature, says that there is
no reason to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation access to
marriage," said APA spokesman Armand Cerbone.
Some of the studies even claim gays make better parents than straights.
Dr. Joseph Nicolosi's response to that assertion is simple: "Wrong.
Absolutely wrong."
An APA member and president of the National Association for Research and Therapy for Homosexuality, Nicolosi said children raised in gay families are more likely
to call themselves gay.
"We consider that a problem," said Nicolosi, who also believes the APA
studies are biased. "That is a political statement; it is not a scientific
statement. It's a consequence of gay activists who have taken over the
American Psychological Association."
Focus on the Family Psychologist in Residence Dr. Bill Maier said the APA endorsement could have an unfortunate impact on society.
"Certainly we're going to see this used in multiple court decisions," he
explained, "because judges look to professional organizations like the
American Psychological Association in making case law."
CBC North - Canada
Yukon decision on gay marriage hailed by activists
Jul 30 2004
WHITEHORSE - Canada's gay rights activists are applauding a Supreme Court decision from the Yukon earlier this month.
Stephen Dunbar and Rob Edge were married in July
They say the same-sex marriage ruling is
a landmark decision for gay rights across the country.
The court released its written decision Friday explaining why it ordered the
Yukon government to issue a marriage licence to Stephen Dunbar and
Rob Edge.
"It is legally unacceptable in a federal constitution area involving the
Attorney General of Canada for a provision to be inapplicable in one province and in force in all others," wrote Justice Peter McIntyre, later adding "to fail to
act now in the face of an acknowledged constitutional violation will result in an unequal application
of the law."
LINK: See complete court ruling (.pdf file)
The judge, who's an Alberta Supreme Court justice and a deputy justice in
Yukon, also criticized the government in his ruling.
"In my view, with respect to the Attorney General of Canada, the approach it has taken is so fundamentally inconsistent with the approach it took in the
other provinces and, indeed, with the approach that is acknowledges to be
correct in the Supreme Court of Canada, that solicitor client costs should be awarded against the Attorney General of Canada," he wrote.
FROM JULY 14, 2004: Judge rings wedding bells for gay Yukoners
It was the third such case for Ontario gay rights lawyer Martha McCarthy.
McCarthy says the ruling makes it clear that other provinces that deny
same-sex marriage licences are breaking the law.
"The message of the Yukon case says this is the end of this, we can't have
different rules for individual citizens on something that is a federal
matter, in different provinces," she says.
She says she never expected such a precedent from the North, where she came to argue the case
last month.
"I've never been any where near Whitehorse before, not the jurisdiction I
expected to fly into on four day's notice, get called to the bar and argue
one of these cases, It was quite a rewarding thing to do," she recalls.
Wedding bells ring for lesbians
Officials for Yukon vital statistics say the latest request for a marriage
licence comes from two gay women in the territory.
"I don't expect a flood. I have had one other couple, two women and yes I
expect the wedding licence to be issued as soon as they come back with the appropriate documentation," says Sylvia Kitching, the licencing registrar for the territorial
government.
Kitching says over the years her office has denied at least four same-sex
marriage requests.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Gay marriage debate rages
By Stephanie
Howard
The Examiner
Missouri voters Tuesday face the question of amending the state Constitution
to define marriage as a union between man and woman.
The state legislature voted to put the amendment on the ballot with most of
the Jackson County delegation in agreement.
Rep. Bryan Pratt, R-Blue Springs, said he based his decision on the premise
of letting voters decide where the state should stand on the issue.
"Frankly, I think the amendment is designed to protect the sanctity of
marriage in this state," Pratt said. "We want to protect what has always
been. We recognize there are other types of relationships out there - this
doesn't stop that."
Missouri state statute 451 section 022 already states any marriage not
between a man and a woman is invalid. Further, the statute said no one can
issue a marriage license except to a man and a woman.
"A marriage between persons of the same sex will not be recognized for any
purpose in this state even when valid where contracted," according to the
statute.
The new resolution stemmed from actions in Massachusetts where judges ruled
existing state law unconstitutional, allowing same-sex couples to marry.
Rep. Doug Erving, R-Holt, filed a similar piece of legislation hoping to
prevent what happened in Massachusetts from happening in Missouri.
"The bill was important because, in my mind, I'm not going to allow judges to
redefine the institution of marriage," Ervin said. "The only misconception is
this has to do with discrimination and it doesn't. The purpose of doing this
is to protect this institution, the definition of marriage from the courts."
Rev. Carl Herbster, senior pastor at Tri-City Ministries and a spokesperson
for the Coalition to Protect Marriage in Missouri, said the amendment solely
deals with the definition of the word marriage.
"We simply want the term marriage to be what it's always been," Herbster
said. "If two men want to live together, call it what you want.
The definition of marriage is a man and a woman who come together to create
children and populate the Earth."
Reps. Mike Sager, D-Lee's Summit, said the amendment is a "shiny object" to
deter voters from real issues such as education funding and health insurance.
"I do not want my children to grow up to think it's OK to hate. I do not want
my children to grow up to think it's OK to discriminate," Sager said.
"My church teaches love and understanding. My church teaches tolerance and
acceptance. Real Christians will vote no."
Opponents of the amendment say the bill is discriminatory and garbles the
state's Constitution unnecessarily.
Doug Gray, spokesman for the Constitution Defense League, said even if the
amendment fails gay marriage in Missouri would still be against the law.
"For the first time our constitution will say to the rest of the world, 'If
you're gay or lesbian, don't come to Missouri because we're against you,'"
Gray said. "It's sad, and it's mean-spirited."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouriilso voiced
opposition to the amendment. The St. Louis chapter also came out against the
amendment Dick Kurtenbach, executive director of the ACLU based in Kansas
City, said the organization's stance is based on a question of fairness.
Kurtenbach says the amendment would discredit the checks and balance system, designed to allow
courts to interpret law.
"For checks and balance to occur you need to have room for this kind of
interpretation," Kurtenbach said. "That's why the Constitution needs to be
written so broadly."
Still, proponents of the bill say the Constitution is the perfect place to
once and for all state how Missourians define marriage.
Members of the gay and lesbian community hope for a compromise. Brian Riegle, Lee's Summit, knows
his union to Patrick McWilliams will never be recognized by the state, and he's come to terms with it.
However, Riegle said he would like to see the state come up with some kind of
legislation that would give gay couples in committed relationships, sometimes
called holy unions, the same rights as a married man and woman.
"With us not being legally married, some of the benefits that could help us
are not there," Riegle said. "The state could recognize civil unions for both
heterosexuals and homosexuals as legal entities but give the right to marry
to a couple who is man and woman."
Pratt agreed with Riegle that if the amendment passes, the state should look
at a compromise to give gay and lesbian couples similar rights as married men
and women..The compromise is to recognize some of those freedoms," Pratt
said. "Take a closer look at some of those and allow folks to make decisions
for themselves."
or call her at (816) 229-9161, Ext. 25.
Gay Marriage Moves To Oregon Supreme Court
07.29.04
(Salem, Oregon) A lawsuit challenging an Oregon law that bars same-sex
marriage will skip the Appeals Court and move directly to the state Supreme
Court, the justices agreed Wednesday.
That means the ultimate decision on gay marriage in
Oregon will likely come
in months instead of years.
In March, Multnomah County began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex
couples. County commissioners approved granting marriage licenses after a
legal opinion from the county attorney said the law banning gay marriage
violated the state constitution.
Suits and counter suits from supporters and opponents of gay marriage were
wrapped into a single case. In April a lower court judge ruled that the state
ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional but ordered the county to stop
issuing licenses until an ultimate ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court.
The next step in the process would have been the Court of Appeals, but
Wednesday's decision leapfrogs that.
“(The) action by the Oregon Supreme Court granting certification in the
same-sex marriage case is a critical step forward in resolving the important
issues raised by the pending lawsuit,” said state attorney general
Hardy Myers.
“Since March, when Multnomah County began issuing same-sex marriage licenses, the state
has been committed to an expeditious review by Oregon’s highest court. I am pleased the court has acknowledged the urgency
of resolving these difficult legal questions.”
The court is expected hear arguments in either November or December, but the
outcome of the case could be moot. Voters will be asked on Nov 2 to approve a
ballot measure brought by conservative groups that would amend the Oregon
Constitution to define marriage as between a man and woman.
A spokesperson for the attorney general said that even if voters ban gay
marriage the case will still be heard. Kevin Neely in an interview with KGW
television said that the ballot measure only addresses the institution of
marriage – whether gay and lesbian couples can simply exchange vows.
It doesn’t appear to address the issue of whether gay and lesbian couples are
entitled to the rights and privileges of marriage. That’s an open question
that perhaps only the Supreme Court can resolve, Neely said.
Southern Voice - Atlanta,GA,USA
Thirteen states may vote on gay marriage bans
First constitutional
amendment goes to Mo. voters on Tuesday
By DYANA BAGBY
Friday, July 30, 2004
Across the country, gay marriage opponents
and proponents are gearing up for
serious battle as voters in up to 13 states may weigh constitutional
amendments this year.
The first state to take the marriage test will be Missouri on Tuesday.
Louisiana follows in September, with the bulk of states, including Georgia,
deciding on Nov. 2.
To date, other states where voters will decide whether to include a gay
marriage ban in their constitutions are Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah, according to the Human
Rights Campaign.
Ballot measures are also likely in Michigan and Ohio, though petition drives
are still under review by state officials. A petition drive to put a marriage
ban on the ballot in North Dakota is due Aug. 3.
States that may consider gay marriage measures in 2005 include Wisconsin,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Massachusetts.
Whether the results of Missouri’s Aug. 3 vote will affect outcomes in the
other states is pure speculation, political observers say. But those in favor
of the Missouri constitutional amendment said their state can make a
significant statement to the nation should voters approve the ban.
“We’re trying very hard to make a positive statement from America’s heartland
that we value traditional marriage and we don’t want to see it thrown in the
trash heap of history,” said Vicky Hartzler, spokesperson for the Coalition
to Protect Marriage in Missouri and a former Republican state representative.
Missouri already has a law banning same-sex marriages, but Hartzler said a
constitutional amendment is needed to prevent “judicial attacks.”
“We need to do everything we can to shore up our constitution,” she said.
For those against the state ballot initiatives, Missouri is no clear
bellwether.
“We think that the tone of the presidential race will affect other states far
more than what happens in Missouri,” said Rea Carey, deputy executive
director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force. “While Missouri is first
out of the box, each state is different … and it is no coincidence that the
ballot initiatives are in battleground states for the presidency.”
HRC has paid for four organizers to be on the ground in Missouri and
contributed close to $100,000 to defeat the amendment, said Seth Kilbourn,
national field organizer for HRC.
In Georgia, gay civil rights activists say the proposed constitutional
amendment is a way to motivate gay citizens to organize and become more
involved in the political process — win or lose.
“The most important thing we must do is tell our story, get the facts out and
do our best to persuade people they should not cement discrimination into the
constitutions,” said Allen Thornell, former executive director of Georgia
Equality and now deputy regional political director of the Service Employees
International Union in Atlanta.
The Federal Marriage Amendment — a proposed change to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage as only between a man and a woman — lost on a procedural vote in
the Senate earlier this month.
But Gary Bauer, chair of Campaign for Working Families and a former
presidential candidate, plans to watch closely what happens in the states.
“This issue of marriage ought to be decided by people rather than judges,” he
said. “I’m in favor of states using as many different approaches as they can
to try to make sure that they’re not forced by some court ruling [on gay
marriage]. Whether or not they will hold up in court remains to be seen.”
Gay civil rights supporters in Missouri understand all eyes will be on them
come Aug. 3.
“We’re kind of the pioneers,” said Barbara Woodruff, a spokesperson for the
Constitution Defense League in St. Louis. “And this Saturday we’re planning a
massive get-out-the-vote drive.”
Recent polls by the Kansas City Star and St. Louis-Post Dispatch show most
voters in favor of a gay marriage ban in Missouri.
“We are very encouraged with our progress so far, but we are not taking
victory for granted,” Hartzler said.
No one state can truly be a barometer for what will happen in the others, but
the one definite outcome is that gay men and lesbians will face losses at the
polls, according to Evan Wolfson, author of “Why Marriage Matters: America,
Equality and Gay People’s Right to Marry.”
“Clearly, we will take some hits,” he said.
Wolfson serves as executive director of Freedom to Marry, a national
organization working to secure equal marriage rights for gay couples.
“This is all very terrible, very painful for the families involved, but those
states are not alone — they are all part of a national dialogue,” Wolfson
said. “It is shameful our opponents are so reckless with the constitution and
so hostile to committed couples and loved ones.”
OPINION
Michael Alvear,
Columnist.
Murphy’s Law for gay sex
I seem to be forever having sex with
guys I don’t want to date and dating
guys I don’t want to screw.
Friday,
July 30, 2004
THE DEWEY DECIMAL System can’t compartmentalize love and sex
the way men can.
Like a lot of gay men, I seem to be stuck screwing guys I don’t want to date
and dating guys I don’t want to screw.
Take this guy I met playing volleyball. We went up to block a shot and both
fell down.
We had a “Love Boat” moment when I grabbed his hand to help him up.
There were wedding platters in his eyes. There were penises in
mine.
So we went on a date. Or rather, he went on a date. I went on a hunt.
After dinner, we relaxed on my couch. My hands, looking for warmer
weather,
migrated south.
“I don’t do that on the first date,” he said, putting my hands back where
they belonged.
“How about on your last?” I asked, putting my hands back where they didn’t
belong.
I WAS KIDDING — sort of. The guy was my type the way Arial is the New Yorker magazine’s typeface: easy on the eyes, making you impatient to get to the end.
But as much as I liked him sexually, I didn’t feel any other connection.
So I was hurled into the basic dating dilemma: Do you have sex
with someone you’re physically but not emotionally attracted to?
The answer, of course, is yes. Oh, God, yes. But the problem with bedding
someone who wants something more is the pain created by mismatched
intentions.
I remember him saying, “Let’s do something, dinner, a movie.”
“I can’t really do anything until 11 o’clock,” I’d tell him.
“Well, you can’t do anything at eleven o’clock at night on a weekday except
have sex and go to sleep,” he’d say.
“Exactly,” I’d say to myself.
Whenever he asked me out, he’d hear a knock on his door around 11.
Once your inner-pig comes out, it’s hard to coax him back
in.
He eventually broke it off, as he should have. I wasn’t the bad guy but I
wasn’t doing him any good either.
When you fall for someone who just wants to fall into bed, it’s time to call
it quits. I know; I’ve been on the receiving end of it, too.
THEN THERE’S THE other side: the guys you want to date but not screw. They’re
the worst. Because they make you realize what a nutcase you are.
Like this guy, “Ted.” I loved everything about him except his body. I tried
to do the chick thing — you know, make it with him even though I’m not
physically attracted to him because he’s kind and smart and loving and that’s
what I want in a man so what’s a few minutes of ugh-ness.
Well, it didn’t take. I tried but I just couldn’t do it. I even invoked the
“Three Date Rule” to buy some time to let my emotional attraction morph into
sexual desire.
I don’t know how women do it, but if I’m not attracted to a guy physically I
can’t have sex with them no matter how emotionally attracted I am.
I guess that’s a major difference between the sexes. For men, intimacy is a
consequence of sex; for women it’s a prerequisite.
Maybe that’s why so many of us gay men are single for so long.
If we could direct our sexual desire from physical asses to emotional
assets, we’d lead more fulfilled lives.
HOW DO WE do that? Too bad we can’t call up biological electricians and have
them re-wire us. The truth, of course, is that it’s possible to find someone
you want to date and screw. The problem is that those guys generally don’t
want to date and screw you.
When you’re gay, being single is never because you haven’t found the right
guy. It’s that your “Mr. Right” thinks you’re “Mr. Fright.”
Poetic justice, really. For every man you reject, there’s a man ready to
reject you. On and on, the cycle goes unbroken.
Dating would be so much simpler if our sexual desire obeyed our emotional
attachments. Until they do, hope, like a certain body part, will spring
eternal.
The beat goes on. Dance spots keep rhythm after two popular gay destinations
close their doors.
By MIKE FLEMING
Friday, July 30, 2004
It’s been difficult to keep up with where the boys are as dramatic changes
unfold in Atlanta’s gay dance scene.
In the spring, Jungle opened its doors amid renovations at the former space
of the Chamber near Cheshire Bridge Road. The new club provided an
alternative for a thriving gay dance scene that included Backstreet Atlanta,
Blü, the Heretic, the Armory and the Eagle. A Wednesday gay night called
Impulse at the expansive, three-building Compound club also entered the scene
earlier this year.
But Atlanta’s dance landscape changed radically in early July, when popular
late-night dance club Blü held a “Going Out with a Bang” closing party for a
capacity crowd. Then the three-year-old facility closed its doors for
extensive renovations and a transformation to Ocean, expected to launch in
September.
ThunderFlower, which purchased Blü along with WETbar and Blake’s on the Park in March, plans more than $1 million in renovations at the three clubs,
according to company officials. But the change from Blü to Ocean is by far
the most extensive, says LZ Granderson, vice president and
marketing/development director for ThunderFlower.
“When you walk in, it will be a totally different space,” Granderson says.
“It will be a space people will be proud to have out of town guests come and
visit.”
ThunderFlower officials are still waiting on approval for a liquor license
from the Atlanta License Review Board. A prolonged review process could push
back when Ocean will open.
On July 17, a police raid shuttered Backstreet, the famed gay dance club
opened in 1975. The club has been embroiled in legal disputes with the city
of Atlanta over changes to its liquor and bar ordinances.
Backstreet operated as an alcohol-free dance hall without a license since
Jan. 1, when the city of Atlanta ended the facility’s 24-hour “private club”
status after a two-year court battle that ended last November.
Police closed the club earlier this month for operating without
a business or liquor license.
The facility is temporarily closed, though Backstreet owner Vicki Vara said
shutting the club down permanently is “a possibility.”
The closing of Backstreet and Blü meant the loss of jobs for employees of the
clubs. But those DJs, bartenders and behind-the-scenes workers should recover
quickly, says Arman Reyes, a party promoter who directs Impulse at Compound.
“It’s a temporary hiccup in the scene,” Reyes says. “Atlanta is
a ‘B’ city that’s in the transition of becoming an ‘A’ city. Before
stepping forward, we’re taking a step back. I don’t think [city officials] are looking
at the bigger picture.
They’re shafting us.”
But DESPITE the closings —whether they prove to be permanent or not — gay
dance enthusiasts still have options. Brad Williams, owner of Jungle and the
popular Red Chair Restaurant & Video Lounge, said the closings have nothing
to do with a decline in demand for dance clubs.
“I don’t think they closed because of lack of interest,” Williams says.
“Blü’s numbers were better the last six months they were open than the whole
time they were open. And with Backstreet, the city made that decision. … It
wasn’t a lack of interest from the community.”
Jungle was already filling to capacity before the other clubs closed, but
since the closings of Backstreet and Blü, the most visible change is that
patrons stay put until closing time, Williams says.
“The biggest thing is at 3 a.m., instead of turning the lights on 300 people,
we’re turning them on 700 or 800 people,” he says. “They just stay until the
end because they’re not going off to another place.”
Jungle is also drawing a stronger mix of men and women since the closings of
the other clubs, Williams says.
“We’re trying to fill a void,” Williams says. “We’re getting a
more diverse
crowd.”
Reyes says that the remaining dance clubs should see a natural increase in
business after the Backstreet and Blü closings.
“Everybody will get a fair share of the traffic spike,” he says. “Nobody’s
going to suffer.”
The Armory, which was a popular nightspot before its nearly yearlong closure
in late 2000 for renovations, shares owners and a parking lot with
Backstreet. The club has seen an on-and-off resurgence in its attendance
during special events, but stands to benefit from the former patrons of
Backstreet.
The gay bar scene is changing as demographics and Atlanta city ordinances
affect the landscape of Midtown, says Bob Touton, a night manager at the
Armory.
“Some of my customers, the gay ones, are putting their houses up for sale and
moving out,” Touton says. “Why party in town when you can stay out until 4
a.m., and some of the bars are open until six outside of Atlanta?”
The drag ensemble show Charlie Brown’s Cabaret — one of Backstreet’s
biggest draws — moved its Friday and Saturday night shows to the Armory July 24-25 and drew a large crowd. The shows were so successful, the Armory and Brown agreed to add
a Sunday cabaret beginning Aug. 1, according to
Pauline Jolly, another Armory manager.
“We’ve gotten a lot busier since Charlie Brown came here,” Jolly says. “It’s
still too early to tell how many people, but she’s very popular.”
Ray Collins, manager of the Heretic, declined an interview for this report.
The club is a popular dance option, though its business suffered when the
city of Atlanta began enforcing a Sunday ban on alcohol sales in bars after
the law was upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court on Oct. 6, 2003.
Van Gower and Jaclyn Barbarow contributed.
