I get it. But if they are your friends, you shouldn’t be masking too hard. Maybe what you call friends, I call acquaintences. “Let’s go to the zoo and watch gays” is not what I was referring to. I’m talking real allies who accept you, not just politely tolerate.

Either way, I get it. It’s great to have a space of your own. Good clubs often have occasional and even regular open nights where it’s more inclusive, without losing the importance of what the space was always meant to be.

You have every right.