The gay disco has an important function within the gay community. It is a place where lesbians and gay men can meet and socialise with other members of the gay community, in a fairly closed environment that offers seclusion and shelter from the outside (mainly heterosexual) world. This paper examines the way in which potential patrons of a gay disco, that is, those who were not known as regular patrons to the doorman and bouncers, were screened in an attempt to determine sexual identity, to ensure that as few heterosexuals as possible were allowed entrance into the club.
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