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Gays vs.straights: can't we all just get along? by MATTHEW HAYS
"For the first time, we heard complaints from some of our guests about homophobia at the events," says Vézina, who's clearly perplexed over the negative feedback about his famous parties. While Vézina is proud of the gay/straight mix at BBCM events--an integration unparalleled by any other circuit party--he says that unfortunate cracks have emerged in the happy party consensus. At last May's Wild & Wet, Vézina says he received complaints about homophobic comments made by straight men at the event. The party's water pistols also led to some trouble. "Apparently some straight men were getting squirted by gay men, and saying, 'Hey, don't squirt me, I'm not gay.'" Thus Vézina, the man who has dedicated the past six years to getting the head-counts up at his parties, is taking a considerable risk: local tickets for BBCM events will no longer be sold by Admission. If Montrealers want tickets for BBCM's Black & Blue party in October, they will have to buy them at a gay establishment. Vézina laments having to restrict the availability of tickets, but says it was entirely necessary in light of the complaints. "We are not trying to make BBCM events out of bounds for straight people. I'm extremely proud of the mix we have, and it's a good reflection of just how open Montreal is. But these are primarily gay events, and we can't have the comfort of gay guests compromised." While straights always seem eager to attend underground gay events, gays are in turn getting more insistent about occupying what is traditionally thought of as mainstream straight spaces. Southern Baptists' recent boycott of Disney has as much to do with the highly publicized coming out of Ellen as it does with the corporation's seal of approval on gay days at their theme parks. The trend, which began with Disney's parks, has expanded to virtually every large theme park across the country. For the second year in a row, La Ronde will host a Divers/Cité party as part of Montreal's gay pride celebrations. While last year's La Ronde event went off without a hitch, organizers of Toronto's "gayday@wonderland" event acknowledge that some complained when queers took over the theme park for a day, but attributes the grievances to the religious right. "That goes with the territory," says Richard Silver, a Toronto real-estate agent who helped create the event. This year the party will include a stage show with performers including Scott Thompson and Elvira Kurt. "Our community is so varied," says Silver. "Lesbian moms were bringing their kids, people also brought their straight friends." Silver adds that mixing the two communities is one of the main points of the day. "Events like this make a statement to both gays and straights that we do other things than go to bars and parties." The BBCM has sponsored numerous events during Divers/Cité. Toronto's gayday@wonderland is on Aug. 9. Info: 1-888-393-3341. Gay day at La Ronde is Saturday, Aug. 2. $21. Info: 285-4011 |
Robert Vézina is acting distinctly out of character. The co-founder and president of the Bad Boy Club Montreal is readjusting the group's method of ticket sales in a way that may reduce the attendance at their hugely popular events.