This is nothing new. It’s been happening in San Francisco’s Castro — the former Gay Mecca — since the late 1990s, and it continues to this day. I see it every time I’m in The Castro and I saw it yesterday, which sparked this article. Guys — usually in their 20s or 30s — walking around with girls and holding hands in an area over-saturated with queer imagery.

My queer friend says: Unless one or both of these people in a straight couple is in the closet and is queer, I do not understand why heterosexuals enjoy coming into (former) queer neighbourhoods that are over-saturated with queer themes and rainbow flags everywhere you look. Or do the straights think that the rainbow flag now belongs to them?

Straights come into The Castro and hold hands and in some cases make out. Why do straights feel the need to holds hands — broadcasting to everyone that they are a couple; but who the fuck cares?! — in a (former) gay neighbourhood? What is that about? It looks like in-your-face straight exhibitionism. And why would they feel the need to do that in an area with some queer people still there?

The thing is: Most queer couples don’t hold hands or make out in their own queer neighbourhood. So why do heterosexuals feel they must? Are they really that insecure in their relationships?

Can you imagine the uproar if two guys went into a traditionally straight neighbourhood of The City and walked around holding hands and made out? The same behaviour would not be accepted in a traditionally heterosexual neighbourhood.

So why is straight exhibitionism acceptable in a queer or former queer neighbourhood? I find it very disrespectful of heterosexuals to do this to queers. If I had a girlfriend or wife, we would not be hanging out or living in a queer neighbourhood, in part, because I think my girlfriend would start questioning my sexuality, when she and I could live anywhere in The City but chose to live in a (former) queer area. WTF is that about? Or is it a form of trying to “convert” gays to straight and showing them the “correct” sexuality? Memo to heterosexuals: Queers are already fully aware of what is considered by society to be the “correct” sexuality. They don’t need another reminder since they are bombarded with heterosexuality and str8 images everywhere you look, including in the queer area. If I had a girl, I would avoid going to any gay neighbourhood, in part, because of a lack of interest on my part. If I needed to go to the queer area with my girl, we would definitely not hold hands or make out in the area — out of respect for the queers who still live there — and that’s because two guys, for example, have no interest in watching str8s make out or hold hands. They’ve already seen that Matinée thousands of times in their life.

Some people have suspected that the couples we see holding hands are those heteros who are cheating on their wife or husband. They go to cheat in The Castro because they think that’s the last place anyone would look for them or suspected of being.

Or one or both of the “straight” couples are really queer and in the closet and that’s why they’re there. The guy thinks he might be able to get some dick there. My friend has seen a guy’s girl take her elbow and stab it into her boyfriend’s or husband’s ribs because she caught him cruising a guy in the grocery store. Note to girl: You’re not going to be able to control your guy’s queer or bi sexuality. It is what it is. Keep it up and you’ll likely be single again soon.

A suggestion to (alleged) heterosexuals: If they must visit the queer area, please leave your straight exhibitionism at home: Out of respect for the area, please don’t hold hands or make out. (Is your girlfriend or wife that insecure in your relationship with you that you must hold her little hand when crossing the street as if she’s a child, or when walking on the sidewalk?) It’s extremely disrespectful to the queer neighbourhood and its residents.