TikTok lesbian bar debacle raises question: Who belongs in queer spaces?
Queer New York TikTok was in an uproar recently over an incident at Cubbyhole, a famous lesbian bar in Manhattan. The conflict — between straight people and a lesbian — has sparked discourse over who belongs in queer spaces. As what usually happens with interpersonal problems aired out online, one party made a video about their side of the story, causing another to step in and give additional context. The former is TikTokker Lexi Stout, a straight woman who went to Cubbyhole after a lesbian friend invited her. A straight male friend then came and joined them. According to Stout in a TikTok posted in late January, a stranger (lesbian) came up to him and asked what he was doing there. SEE ALSO: How TikTok became a place for tattletales "As a straight woman in a gay bar, and also a straight woman who goes to a male gay bar," Stout said, "I've never felt like that before." She described feeling uncomfortable — especially because gay men were at Cubbyhole — and at the end of the video asked if straight men are allowed at gay bars. The TikTok, titled "My First Lesbian Bar," has over a million views and 8,000 comments at the time of publication. In early February, the stranger stitched Stout's video with a response. @im.that.lesbian, identified by Gothamist as Katie Pypes, posted that she was "that lesbian" from Cubbyhole, and stated her side of the ordeal. Mashable has reached out to both Stout and Pypes for comment. Pypes was waiting for the bathroom and the straight man was in the way, she said. Since he seemed "grumpy," she asked if he was with anyone; he pointed at his friend. Later, he asked if he wasn't here with anyone if it would be a problem, and Pypes said yes. The group of friends — including Stout and the man — started "coming at" Pypes, who said she wanted nothing to do with straight people which is why she was at Cubbyhole in the first place. Pypes said that she's seen straight men come into queer spaces, like Cubbyhole and Henrietta Hudson, another lesbian
TikTok lesbian bar debacle raises question: Who belongs in queer spaces?