SPLIT TOPIC: Cattyshack redux

drunken revival

MOD NOTE: This topic has been split off from the "looking for a place to hold a dance event" thread, which remains at http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41784.

Catty Shack is not a welcoming establishment... If you are a straight male you simply are not getting in to the door without the accompaniment of a female (preferably gay).

Now, I'm a kick ass, take no prisoners, ask questions later type of person - and even my high level of aggression doesn't compare to what is on display at Catty Shack... oh, and there is a cover and the drinks are real expensive.

You want to dance? Go to Royale a little later on the weekend. Also, might want to check out Living Room on like 23rd and 5th ave.

alafairnadia

Drunken Revival wrote: Catty Shack is not a welcoming establishment... If you are a straight male you simply are not getting in to the door without the accompaniment of a female (preferably gay).

Now, I'm a kick ass, take no prisoners, ask questions later type of person - and even my high level of aggression doesn't compare to what is on display at Catty Shack... oh, and there is a cover and the drinks are real expensive.

You want to dance? Go to Royale a little later on the weekend. Also, might want to check out Living Room on like 23rd and 5th ave.

you're kidding, right? I know tons of straight guys who walk in there, alone, with no problem. it's an extremely welcoming establishment - it's practically a straight sports bar on weekend afternoon/evenings. so, please. move on.

verucasalt

Been to Cattyshack many, many times I will say never on a Saturday night though for dancing so I can't speak to that.

It has it's moments. Sometimes it is very chill and quiet in there and I use it as my neighborhood bar. Some of the barstaff are GREAT...others..not so much. Usually stop in after work for a drink or two. It is pretty quiet which is nice.

I have been in there on Friday afternoons (starting at 4 ish) into evening (around 11, okay I am a lush) and you can definitely see the change in atmosphere. The bartenders that I saw that came (around 10PM) are hardcore same as the ladies working the door. It is a little intimidating and I am a female.

My husband is fine with going to the place as long as it is not on a Friday/Saturday night. You get the impression that you are trespassing on their territory.

Been there on weekend days and had a blast. Especially in the summer. They do a great BBQ.

It is a good place just has it moments.

alafairnadia

VerucaSalt wrote: I have been in there on Friday afternoons (starting at 4 ish) into evening (around 11, okay I am a lush) and you can definitely see the change in atmosphere. The bartenders that I saw that came (around 10PM) are hardcore same as the ladies working the door. It is a little intimidating and I am a female.

I've actually seen fights start there on weekend nights - not full on cops involved type things, but definite abuse being hurled by extremely drunk women. so the intimidation factor on friday and saturday nights is pretty much on par with almost any club in NYC - the atmosphere is aggressive and liquored up. the dynamics are quite similar to everything in a straight club on those nights so there are rivals competing for the affection of someone, chicks trying to scheme free drinks out of folks, people getting it on, etc. it's a pretty fascinating place on the weekend nights - doesn't work for me, I don't get picked up in clubs ever, but still really fun to go out and see. and I do love dancing.

drunken revival

Regarding Catty Shack..

Most places are quite chill at 4pm on sunny saturday afternoons... I'm sure Catty Shack is no exception.... if you want to know the true character of a place (or a person) check them out at midnight, drunk, and wide open...

I think the posts hear enforce my comments on Catty Shack...

So please, alafairnadia, you move on.... and keep me in mind next time some mean, drunken, coked up, lesbian shoves you in the back while trying to get an overpriced drink at Catty Shack... and watch out for those bar fights...

alafairnadia

Drunken Revival wrote: So please, alafairnadia, you move on.... and keep me in mind next time some mean, drunken, coked up, lesbian shoves you in the back while trying to get an overpriced drink at Catty Shack... and watch out for those bar fights...

er. you haven't run into mean, coked up folks at other bars? I find that hard to believe, considering the hipster influx in our neighborhoods.

drunken revival

You can run into mean, coked up people anywhere... It's just that at Catty Shack they are the rule rather than the exception..

pitu

Drunken Revival wrote: You can run into mean, coked up people anywhere... It's just that at Catty Shack they are the rule rather than the exception..

but...they don't let you in so...
whatever, do we need to split this off into Cattyshack debate thread?

Anybody else have ideas for the OP on a space for a regular swing/social dance in Brooklyn?

jayce

Drunken Revival wrote: Catty Shack is not a welcoming establishment... If you are a straight male you simply are not getting in to the door without the accompaniment of a female (preferably gay).

Now, I'm a kick ass, take no prisoners, ask questions later type of person - and even my high level of aggression doesn't compare to what is on display at Catty Shack... oh, and there is a cover and the drinks are real expensive.

You want to dance? Go to Royale a little later on the weekend. Also, might want to check out Living Room on like 23rd and 5th ave.

So just cause your post pissed me off, I am gonna rehash it.

1. Why should a straight male have to be welcomed every place he goes? Some places aren't for straight men. Go to the Elks club or something. You straight males seem to be ok keeping that just for you. Along with the golf clubs. And many other fine establishments. Funny, when dykey little me walks in the door, I'm not feeling so welcome either.

2. "level of aggression." huh. My gut says thats straight man code for 'OH MY GOD, she looks like she wants to be a man!" Unless someone has thrown a punch at you, maybe you shouldn't instinctively label it aggression. You get back what you put out there and if what you are putting out is aggression, maybe you need to look at that a little bit.


I never understand why its so important that straight people, men and women, feel like they need to inject themselves into gay clubs. It's one thing if you are a friend of one of the people there. Or in alfairnadia's case friends with just about everyone there. Those folks none of us give a damn about being there. My guess is miss alfairnadia has even been asked to dance by a few of those "aggressive coked up male wannabes" you seem to be so concerned about.

As a dyke, yeah, I do tend to not appreciate straight couples and straight men in a queer space without an escort. Cause they are usually there trying to pick people up. Which means you spend the night getting leared at until wifey is just drunk enough to make a pass and bring her man on over. Whether you are like that or not is somewhat irrelevant because it happens EVERY SINGLE NIGHT at spaces for queer women. And when you make a group of people feel trivialised like that, they aren't so inclined to welcome you. So if its not you doing it, maybe talk to the boys in the Elks club and tell them to knock it off. One girl is just fine for you.

Lastly, I rarely feel welcome at straight dance clubs. Last time I was there I had a drink poured down my back by a straight woman who didn't think I should be there with my straight female friends. Welcome to the world gay people live in all the time. You expect us to feel sorry for you about having to experience that once in a blue moon? Go and make sure every space you all occupy (which is... oh... everything but the gay clubs) are as welcoming as you want us to be and then you come back and you'll be a little more welcomed.

apollonia666

Well said, Jayce.

the chipster

Women have always needed women only spaces. Respect that. Lesbians are not there to perform for you; make out for you; turn themselves into YOUR idea of what a lesbian is. Thanks Paris Hilton and Tila Tiquila!
Why must everyplace be all inclusive? Strollers, hard drinkers, gay men having anonymous backroom sex, chemically sensitive vegans.....
As politically incorrect as it is, I don't think men should be welcomed into Lesbian bars. Men can go anywhere, and gay men can them purchase the neighborhood and gentrify it until lesbians can no longer afford to live there! Two male wage earners are a serious economic power; and you can compare the stats yourselves.
Besides, they're nasty to everyone at Cattyshack, including young fresh dykes from Manhattan who are horrified at the mean bouncers.

carnivore

I agree with what jayce and The Chipster are saying, but the fact is that I've been to Cattyshack a few times and never experienced any hostility at all.

alafairnadia

thanks to jayce, a666, carny & the chipster. I agree with everyone's comments. also, frankly, I have yet to see the 'shack be a hostile place for anyone, except, maybe the bartenders and bouncers when dealing with an off the wall drunk person - not uncommon for any busy, large bar or club. I have been there on saturday nights for, for instance, a lesbian's bday party. straight couples have shown up and danced, too. and made out. and no one cared. the 'hostility' vibe, I'm thinking, comes from attitude. if someone, in this instance a lesbian, feels objectified by another persons attention in a negative way, yeah, they might get 'hostile'. but really, the 'shack on the weekend nights is a sexual place: there are go go dancers pole dancing on the bar top, folks are dancing hot and heavy (yes, jayce, I've been on both the giving and receiving end of the grind), and no one is going to care of the smattering of straight couples in the place get turned on, too, and dance hot & heavy, make out, whatever. but I can totally see where a random straight male, perhaps leering at people, perhaps just slack-jawed and staring at the go go dancer could make queer folks quite uncomfortable. but really? if you want to be there? man up and make it clear you're not just there for the eye candy, you're there to enjoy yourself at a neighborhood establishment that (honestly) does not need your business. otherwise, there are 150 million bars in park slope (slight hyperbole) that are more than welcoming to straight men - have fun.

and yeah, I can def. vouch for the fact that tons of straight folks have a good time at cattyshack, both on weekend nights and weekday evenings. if you're running into trouble, it's not cause you're straight.

serge_tomiko

I'm a straight man. I'd love to have a single bar someplace in this city where where women and gay men aren't allowed. I really tire of every drinking establishment being about listening to music or pursuing sex.

I just want to chill with other men and let conversation flow. I've slept with dozens of women in my life. I'm married now. I really don't care so much about sex anymore. I just want to chat with other men about things that don't involve women. Is that such a crime?

We used to have places like this, but radical females sued gender exclusive clubs and bars out of existence for all but the very wealthy. The Elks are a bad example - that is not a social club, it is a public service club.

So please - oh angry lesbians - please advocate on my behalf. There are so many dead bars in Park Slope. Why can't one of them be just for straight men?

alafairnadia

Serge_Tomiko wrote: I'm a straight man. I'd love to have a single bar someplace in this city where where women and gay men aren't allowed. I really tire of every drinking establishment being about listening to music or pursuing sex.

I just want to chill with other men and let conversation flow. I've slept with dozens of women in my life. I'm married now. I really don't care so much about sex anymore. I just want to chat with other men about things that don't involve women. Is that such a crime?

We used to have places like this, but radical females sued gender exclusive clubs and bars out of existence for all but the very wealthy. The Elks are a bad example - that is not a social club, it is a public service club.

So please - oh angry lesbians - please advocate on my behalf. There are so many dead bars in Park Slope. Why can't one of them be just for straight men?

try jackie's 5th amendment. I'm pretty sure that's where straight guys who don't care about sex hang out.

sweet tea

or polish up your golf game and go to the masters. i'm sure there's a good drink-up after.

vidro3

Subject: Re: SPLIT TOPIC: Cattyshack redux

Drunken Revival wrote: MOD NOTE: This topic has been split off from the "looking for a place to hold a dance event" thread, which remains at http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41784.

Catty Shack is not a welcoming establishment... If you are a straight male you simply are not getting in to the door without the accompaniment of a female (preferably gay).

Now, I'm a kick ass, take no prisoners, ask questions later type of person - and even my high level of aggression doesn't compare to what is on display at Catty Shack... oh, and there is a cover and the drinks are real expensive.

You want to dance? Go to Royale a little later on the weekend. Also, might want to check out Living Room on like 23rd and 5th ave.

What are you talking about? I go there with a few buddies every sunday for football. It's pretty awesome, actually.