Is It Safe? Pandemic Entertainment While Wearing Masks — A LGBTQ+ Bar Has Safer Fun During COVID-19

My local LGBTQ bar is taking coronavirus precautions, including mask requirements, and limiting capacity at drag shows to maintain social distancing

I read in the news

Masks at drag show parties now

Safer to go watch?

— Chris Hedges

My local LGBTQ+ bar is taking COVID-19 precautions, including mask requirements

I read in my local newspaper that the LGBTQ+ bar in my area has reopened, but is not following the trend of tightly packed, mask less bars in my area.

The LGBTQ+ gathering place is requiring masks — which they are handing out at the door, along with hand sanitizer. They are also enforcing social distancing and limiting the numbers of patrons that can attend their drag shows to 25.

The performers aren’t wearing masks, but they stay behind a line marked on the stage. The audience also stays behind a line as well — if they want to give a tip to a performer, they drop it into a basket in the middle of the floor. This maintains social distancing for everyone.

And, since they are lip syncing, there is less worry about droplets spreading around as there would be if people were singing or yelling to the crowd.

The LGBTQ+ community is aware of pandemics and health issues

It isn’t surprising that the LGBTQ+ community would take measures to follow public health guidelines and to protect each other. The Chicago clinic where I am transitioning provides many COVID-19 services for all people.

James Finn writes about the LGBTQ+ community working on surviving the HIV pandemic for all of these years. This experience comes into play with LGBTQ+ efforts to educate the community on how to be healthier and safer.

James Finn writes in “The HIV and Coronavirus Pandemics: A Morality Tale. We need to see ALL our neighbors:”

As a gay man, I’ve been living through a pandemic since the mid 1980s. I know what it feels like already, because it’s my daily reality.

— James Finn

I am still cautious and wary

I am still a little worried about going out and spending too much time in any one place because of scientific studies that COVID-19 spreads through the air.

My ex works in the medical field and she assuming coronavirus is airborne, so she takes no chances at work or out in the community. I am doing the same — wearing a P95 or R95 respirators to limit the number of particles entering my airway.

I may or may not go

I want to go to the LGBTQ+ place to socialize. But, I don’t want to get sick myself or expose other people to illness.

The one concern I have is drinking loosens my inhibitions. Will I be able to maintain proper mask wearing if I have a couple of beers? I have never had to consider the question because I haven’t had anything to drink since the pandemic has started.

That means my tolerance is lower and a beer or two will hit me harder than if I was someone who indulged more often.

The second issue that always is a factor is safely driving home as well.

The solution is to not drink alcohol during these pandemic days. Problem solved pretty easily. Maybe use a straw to sip ice tea or my Diet Coke under the mask.

Bars have had COVID-19 shut downs because of employee infections and community spread across the nation— this gives me pause

The news reports that give me pause are those of regular bars having to close down because employees have tested positive for coronavirus after reopening. I have driven past some of these places and have noticed the majority of the patrons, if not all, are mask less.

I have read indoor dining and drinking at bars are some of the most dangerous things to do during the COVID-19 pandemic :

Public health officials say indoor dining and drinking pose more significant public health risks than other retail activities, even with social distancing. Patrons must take off their masks to eat and drink, they often are engaged in conversation, and they breathe in indoor air that may be contaminated by the virus and circulated by air conditioning — all of which can spread COVID-19.

— Los Angeles Times.

What do you think?

Part of me wants to go out and have fun while wearing my own P-95 or R-95 mask. But, the cautious part of me is wary of going someplace where many people are inside for long periods of time because there is greater chance of coronavirus being present in the air.

What do you think?

Are you wanting to go out to places that have social distancing and mask rules?

Should I just remain sheltered in place and wait until a vaccine or other cure is found?

Should I go, but leave after 30 minutes or so to limit my exposure?

Would you go to a play or other indoor performance if everyone was wearing masks and maintaining social distancing?

Maybe the solution is masks and outdoor performances?

The New York Times reports that a Yacht Rock concert band performed outdoors in Indianapolis to people social distancing in cars that were 18 feet away from each other in a drive-in theater.

Maybe this is the solution? Outdoor performances with proper precautions — such as keeping people far away from each other and requiring masks.

I want to hear what types of indoor entertainment you are missing

Tagging Timothy Key, Kira Dawn, Sherry McGuinn, Amy Marley, Marla Bishop, Gurpreet Dhariwal, P.G. Barnett, Marilyn Flower, Ena Dahl, Yael Wolfe, Paul Myers MBA, Holly Jahangiri, Jezebel and anyone else who wants to join in to see if you have any particular indoor entertainment even that you miss during these pandemic days.

Tag back to me so I can see your posts and see what you’re missing.

Chris Hedges, BA (journalism and political science), JD, is an editor at ILLUMINATION, The Bad Influence, and Red Curtain Erotica. You can find a list of my projects at chrishedges.co.