James

Rico, I'm not sure I totally agree with this because unlike, say, race, your sexuality is not immediately apparent. Although some would say that it makes it easier for gay people as they can choose to hide it, I would argue the opposite. We live in a time where oppressive regimes and fundamentalist churches still preach gay hate. Widespread homophobia is rife in places as close to home as Liverpool! This means that we have to keep reminding certain sections of the straight community that we are here, normal and living among them. If we dissociate ourselves from our sexual preference it just adds more grist to the mill of their silly ideas about homosexuality being a lifestyle choice rather than an identity. Btw Moos I would definitely say that I'm gay!

I'm reading Andrew Marr's A History of Britain at the moment. Fascinating and well-written but seems to take a bizarrely rightwing tone (I thought Marr was a leftie!?) Thatcher is portrayed as some sort of visionary like Gandhi or something. I am a bit confused by this.

By the way, no jokes about what may have happened to my mate in jail please. Lol

Lol In response to Rico and Keef, I reckon there is a spectrum - some gay men I know (my boyfriend, for example) are as revolted by the idea of women's bits as many a straight man is by another man's! I have a mate who's a straight lad from Yorkshire, hard as nails (he is a reformed gang member who's been in jail). He is refreshingly honest about things for a straight bloke - he once told me he thought a toned man's naked body was a beautiful thing to look at, like a work of art - if anything more so than a fit woman's body. All the same, he just didn't fancy men, period - there was no spark for him. It was nice to hear this compared with the usual "men's bodies are so gross" thing you get from lots of straight blokes (trying to prove they're not gay). I personally am not revolted by women at all and would never say never... although I have to say I don't ever fantasise about women and their bodies just don't turn me on the way men's do.

I used to sleep with women only, now I only sleep with men. You could say that my sexuality shifted; I tend to believe that I was in denial as from a young age I was brought up to believe that being gay was "not for me" (as if I had a choice!) Many gay men I know think bisexual men are just too scared to commit fully to being gay! As if by still fancying women, they retain the right not to be "emasculated" by society. They can still claim a stake in masculinity, so to speak. I'm keeping an open mind as I've never met a genuine bisexual (only the odd silly attention-seeking women who I'm pretty sure was straight).

I have never understood the term "Sarf" London (looks like it should rhyme with "laugh")!? Ditto "Saaf" London. Shouldn't it be something like "Souf"?

Sounds like a village that might be featured in Last of the Summer Wine (as some old men roar past it in a bathtub on wheels and crash-land in a ditch)

Whateley Road: "wait-lee" or "what-lee"?

Something like Cafe Kick would be great! That has a lovely laid-back, arty vibe to it

Can us blokes have nice loos too please? In the interests of equality.

I would love something with a shabby, continental-style alternative vibe - a bit like the bars you get in parts of East London or the Oberkampf/Canal St Martin districts of Paris. I reckon the last thing we need is another tacky generic Black Cherry/Bishop/Adventure type place. All these bars are so boring! I think if you make your bar a bit quirky you'll be onto a winner. We have had loads of rumours of veggie places - for which there seems to be much demand but sadly nothing has come to fruition so far. So I think if you serve some decent veggie bar snacks (not the usual soggy microwaved beanburger) you will tap that market too. That's my advice!

NatashaD are you having a laugh? Your prejudiced, ignorant post kind of proves the point that we do need gay-only bars! Well done for that. Substitute "gay men" in your post for any other minority (e.g. "black men") and you wouldn't dare put it on this forum. A point I have made before on here. Obviously you don't actually know any gay people (apart from perhaps Mr Humpfries off Are You Being Served?). The weird stereotype you describe is totally outdated and ludicrous. Has it ever occurred to you that many of the "normal" men you meet in everyday life could well be gay? But you assume they're not because they don't mince about pumping iron in tight t-shirts. How ignorant of you.

That's pretty much why I prefer gay bars sometimes. I have a long-term boyfriend so it's not about pulling. And there are straight bars/pubs I really like (conversely there are certain gay places I wouldn't touch with a bargepole). However it's nice not to have to worry about testosterone-charged dickheads ruining your night out. I can't remember a time when there was "trouble" in a gay venue I've been to. I should point out that it's a minority of straight men I'm talking about. Some of the straight blokes I know are the most friendly, open-minded and generally lovely people I have ever met.

Yes and no! It has definitely begun to attract more 'suburban' types from Kent/dull SE London towns. The sort of people who go out in Blackheath ("Blackeaf") at the weekend cos it is a bit classy innit? But you still see some edgy characters about, possibly thanks to the proximity of Camberwell & Peckham with their art squats.

As a gay man I have to take issue with Strawbs here too. If as gay people we say we don't want straight people in our bars (bars as opposed to blacked-out sex clubs, that is!) surely that's as bad as straight people saying we're not welcome in theirs!? This issue comes up time and time again with all sorts of minorities who seem to think that being a minority gives people the right to discriminate... this seems nonsensical to me. The only straight people in gay bars I object to are the ones who've come to gawp at all the 'hilarious queers' - or, even worse, silly fag hags trying to be trendy (the sort who would give each other a tongue sandwich to gratify straight men). I'm also amazed at how certain people here are making sweeping generalisations, purporting to speak for the entire gay community. The people I know who are gay are as diverse as my straight friends in their tastes, interests and what kind of places they like to go out.

Sean pointed out that this was the same ad agency as the Heinz one. Am I being cynical or is this a cheap PR stunt for both brands involved which the free papers will happily lap up?

Question: What does Carole Vorderman do when she gets constipation? Answer: She works it out with a marker pen

I am young and spunky, thanks very much! And I can't stand White Stuff (the shop, that is. Not spunk itself).

I thought of her yesterday when I saw a sign in my gym that said "This door is alarmed." I wanted to say "Alarmed? By what?" but realised that would be a bit mental and sad.

When you say "parent's scam" are you implying that it was only one parent doing the scamming? Where is Lynne Truss when you need her?

Walthamstow Village (sic) has a waffle shop offering every topping imaginable under the sun. Wish we had something like that.

Sounds like a term for someone who farts during sex

Offer her some sugar cubes (but remember to keep your hand flat)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sell it to Waitrose! Trouble is, that site would be a cash cow for anyone so they may well choose to hold onto it

Have to say also that as a dog owner I am disgusted by the amount of dog poo I see on the pavements around ED. There was a huge dollop just outside my gate the other day.