A saloon in Idaho is drawing attention for its cheeky counter-programming to Pride Month, declaring June as “Heterosexual Awesomeness Month,” a celebration of all things straight. The Old State Saloon in Eagle announced the month-long festivities and drink specials through a Facebook post.
Every Monday in June is dubbed “Hetero Male Monday,” with a free draft beer given to any heterosexual male dressed like a heterosexual male. The bar also sought a “professional” judge qualified to determine if men’s clothing is officially heterosexual, offering $15 per hour plus free beer as compensation to anyone who believes they have the ability to discern straight threads.
Wednesdays are for couples, with each heterosexual couple receiving 15% off their bill. Thursdays are “Her Hetero Happy Hour,” with happy-hour prices available all day long for straight women.
The Facebook post attracted nearly 2,000 comments within 72 hours, with a mix of people applauding the subversive mock celebration and those who took offense. Some accused the saloon of promoting bigotry and hate towards marginalized communities, while others commended their courage in taking a stand for the straight community.
In a follow-up post, Old State Saloon acknowledged that many people were upset about Heterosexual Awesomeness Month, but they will not be changing their mind or giving into those responding with vitriol. The bar reiterated its commitment to celebrating heterosexuality during June and emphasized that everyone is welcome to join the celebration.
Pride Month occurs annually throughout June and honors the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities. It began in 1970 with pride marches in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago to mark the one-year anniversary of the riots sparked by the NYPD’s raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village.
