Why a Lesbian Bar?

I usually surround myself with people that have things in common with me. We share the same interests, behave similarly, come from similar backgrounds or just “click.”

I’m a straight young woman in my 20’s and conservative when it comes to romantic relationships. One of my close friends is gay and I feel as comfortable around him as I would with a straight friend. But I don’t feel the same way about lesbians; in fact I don’t have any friends who are lesbians.

I’ve never been interested in engaging in any conversations with them unless they approach me.

In my mind, I have a fabricated a perception of lesbians I created back in middle school and high school. Most of the members of the school’s women’s basketball team were lesbians.

They didn’t behave in a feminine way like me, especially the girls from the basketball team. Some of them used to hold hands and their behavior was manly. Their outfits were long loose shorts and shirts three sizes bigger than their actual size. They wore white socks and tennis shoes, instead of sandals that exposed my pedicured toenails. Their hair was always picked up in a bun or a ponytail, very different from my long blonde locks.

And that is why my professor assigned me to a lesbian bar for my listening post.