Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009

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In Bars & Clubs

By Julie Lawrence OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Julie Lawrence

Published Jan. 29, 2008 at 5:29 a.m.

Tags: milwaukee guerrilla gay bar, gay bars, lgbt, gay community

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OMC: So what happens when MGGB arrives?

CX: We try to get everyone to arrive at the same time to make a visible, powerful statement that this is something different -- that there's really a connected group. The politburo is there to welcome people and make sure everyone's comfortable. We have people who have never been to some of these places before and might not feel comfortable in new environments. I've been surprised at how many transgender members turned out at places they normally wouldn't feel safe or comfortable going, but due to this event turned out in full force and were free to be who they wanted to be.

OMC: Has there been any adverse reaction?

CX: Not at all. The bartenders might get stressed from the extra business, but when all is said and done, we've been invited back to places. I mean, our whole purpose is to go where we're not invited and show up unexpected, but the bar owners have been extremely positive. In terms of the other bar patrons, there have been some who have been confused, but nothing more than, "Wow. There must be some kind of party going on here tonight that we weren't invited to." If anything, people have met people that they didn't otherwise know and friendships have been made.

OMC: How is MGGB benefiting Milwaukee's LGBT community and educating the straight community?

CX: If we can do anything to promote positive interactions between the straight and gay community in Milwaukee, we're all for it. In some cases, these people have never met a gay person or known that they've met a gay person. They might not have ever seen a transsexual and now, given this opportunity to mix up the social scene, they're meeting new people and I think that's a good thing.

It's given us the opportunity to breakdown stereotypes about how people look and act that are different from you. Milwaukee is a pretty segregated city racially, but has also traditionally been segregated socially. This gives us an opportunity to shatter that and say people should just go wherever they want to go and have fun and who cares?

OMC: What do the gay bars in Milwaukee have to say about it?

CX: We did receive some initial feedback from the gay community that they thought we were taking dollars away from them and that we should be supporting gay bars and not taking people out of them. But what I think they initially failed to realize is that we were getting people to go out, whether it was to a straight bar or gay bar. They were out of the house, they were spending money and they were going to stay out. Now we are doing monthly after parties at gay or lesbian bars with raffles of donated items and drink specials for MGGB members.

OMC: So when's the next takeover?

CX: Friday, Feb. 1. It's the first Friday of every month and it always starts at 9:30 p.m. and the after party always starts at midnight. I can't tell you the bar or even the neighborhood, but it'll be a culture clash that needs to be seen to be believed. People can subscribe to our mailing list via Myspace, Facebook or Yahoo to get all the details.

OMC: Can you tell me your real name?

CX: I can't. We're sworn to secrecy as a politburo because the goal of our organization is not individual, it's communistic, meaning that everyone who is on the committee is pretty well established in the gay community and we don't want individual credit for this. We don't profit from this, we don't put it on our resume, we're just doing this for fun and the social benefit.

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18 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by maddog10 on Feb. 24, 2009 at 11:24 p.m. (report)

Ok...so, I'm gay and I think MGGB is absolutely ridiculous. Why do we have to "invade" str8 bars/clubs? I mean seriously, really? From what I can see, most of the attendees of this so-called "movement" are too afraid to go into a predominantly str8 establishment without feeling out of place - so, they "takeover" these places with other insecure people so they can what? Make a statement? It's so foolish!!!! And, not to mention, quite embarrassing!!!!! You are only making the environment uncomfortable. I go to str8 bars all the time...and my sexuality is never an issue nor do I feel I have to have the entire gay community behind my back to walk into a predominantly str8 establishment. To be quite honest, MGGB is full of insecure rejects who are trying to be cool. Think about it. The whole thing is pretty ridiculous. Gays have been struggling with being judged all their lives...this whole MGGB thing screams judgement!

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Posted by rniam on Jan. 31, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (report)

My only quarrel with MGGB is with not telling the bars they are coming. What can happen, and I have seen this with my own eyes, is that you'll have an improper amount of staff/cold beer and people get irritable and get a wrong/bad impression of the establishments service through no fault of its own. Give them a fighting chance to take care of your crowd. Other than that, GET YOUR GAY ON! When are you coming to the G Spot? (that's Club G for all you uninitiated)

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Posted by MILWIRISH on Jan. 30, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (report)

fine....just respect a bars regular patrons and the bars regular events.....when you are gone the bar owner is still trying to make a living. if a bars patrons are lost you did nothing for relations!!

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Posted by Scottage Cheese on Jan. 30, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. (report)

I'm going to start a movement of straight members who will go out to gay bars and make out with the opposite sex (oh!) and dress in Brewer/Packer clothes...talk loudly to ensure that everyone knows that i'm straight! I may even ask for them to put on the Bucks game and turn up the volume a little. Will they make me feel at home? Probably not. I'm all for a little man-love here people. But you can't just throw your beliefs on others in such a rude way!

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Posted by KIDJRVILLA on Jan. 30, 2008 at 4:50 p.m. (report)

Z boy, they are trying to go out and have fun with both crowds and not start trouble. I've been to their events. If they knew each night was going to be trouble then no one would follow them, but since they are doing things in a safe matter...the parties are great. As someone who attends their events, I guess I would say the point is to go outside of the gay bars. Have them additional options since our bars are limited. In the GLBT world their is many different type of people with different taste. Someone that enjoys alternative rock and is gay will not find a Gay bar that plays alternative rock. The people that show up dont mess with any other crowds, they just hang out. Just like you would do when you head out with your friends. Thats just about it. Yeah it might be uncomfortable for you to see a guy in a dress, but as long as he doesnt touch you or mess with you, where the problem? I hang out at many str8 bars and nobody would even know anything of me. My buds are okay, owners are okay. I Didnt know we needed a sexually code to walk into a place? Going back to your comment, why would you want them to take their crowd to some bar where trouble might start? Yes, anyone can walk into a Hispanic bar, Black bar, Gay bar, Bikers bar but the point is going somewhere were its comfortable and not feel like the minority.

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