Straight invasion or why do we always have to be the inclusive ones?

Needs a better title

I wish I could make people understand how anxious it makes me feel when we invite straight people into the space and they act like idiots.

My ex girlfriend was super pragmatic and didn’t think it was a problem when a straight man came in to the drag-up smeared lipstick all over himself and asked one of our baby queers if they were a girl or a boy. I was fuming, not only with the dude for violating the space but also with my own girlfriend for being so blasé about how the other people in the space felt about this.

We had some students from an art school join us to present their queering projects. I often get criticism from colleagues that the work is very insider driven and exclusive and to that I say…and? I have to try and be inclusive of your lifestyles all the time, I attend your baby showers, your straight pride (weddings), buy you gifts for these “milestones”. I’m not getting married so I won’t get those accolades, those badges of a life well lived.

Back to the students, one of the students was visibly uneasy in the space, our guest speaker was an activist for HIV+ awareness and inclusion. She asked some questions that made it clear she felt it was the fault of the activist that he was HIV+. I didn’t know what to do, I just sort of ignored her. Looking back I should have taken her aside and done some perspective work with her one on one.