It’s raining men
It's raining men.
By Manny Casillas | Editorial Assistant
Unlike with Halloween, the gay community has yet to hijack Valentine’s Day and transform it into Mardi Gras on ecstasy, complete with the gayest parade that’s never been seen. For many gays, Valentine’s Day is just another one of those Hallmark holidays. Gays and lesbians celebrate, or don’t celebrate, Valentine’s Day very much like our hetero counterparts.
For example, you are a straight couple taking an expensive trip somewhere big, like Brown County. Great, but the gays are going to Chicago, particularly Boystown, Chicago’s answer to Castro Street.
Are you just spending a quiet evening at home, with a special dinner, followed by a viewing of “P.S. I Love You” or (for the gents) maybe one of those Bourne movies?
Well, the gays are having a very special dinner, wine included, and are staying in for a marathon session of “Sex and The City”, or, for the ladies, maybe “Xena: Warrior Princess” (not trying to stereotype; it’s just that I’ve met many lesbians who love that show).
However, if you’re simply going to have a night on the town, dancing the night away at The Red Room in Broad Ripple, gays have a plan for that, too. We’re going to dance our hearts away at Greg’s or go wild with the drinks in The Metro. We’ve got it covered.
Or are you just going to have a night on the town, but do something more low-key? Like going to the restaurant where you had your first date? Oh we’ve got a plan for that too. Here we come English Ivy.
The fact is, we gays and straights are a lot alike. We encounter the same ups and downs, deal with the same Hallmark holidays and run into that same moment when we’ve either just fallen for Mr. or Ms. Right, or just been dumped via a text message. If there’s one advantage, I’d give to gays and lesbians on this Valentine’s Day, it’s this: the fact that you are with someone of the same sex most likely makes it easier to buy gifts. After all, who knows what a man wants better than a man?
