John Sizzle (he/him) Former co-owner of The Glory, now owner of The Divine
The whole world is made for ‘straight’ people — literally everything is designed with them in mind. There’s next to nothing designed specifically for our community, for our culture. After nine years of working on The Glory, I’ve come to realise that venues like these have a role to play in the personal development of a young LGBTQ+ individual, whether that be expressing their sense of style, sexuality, gender, or politics. People gain confidence in such places. This is the true meaning of SAFE. This is a safe space for you to mature into yourself and go forth into that tricky — and often hostile — straight world with a degree of confidence and empowerment. When I came out and navigated late 80s and 90s London, there were literally hundreds of bars and clubs for us to go to — pretty much something for everyone — and I was never short of an elder gay or lesbian to impart the ways of the world. It’s not like that today, as spaces are often mixed, and we’re reasonably tolerated in hetero venues like Wetherspoons! But there’s nothing like a ‘queer only’ space. Allies welcome of course — but only if they know their place… and are good dancers.