This intensifying turf war does not spring from hetero-phobia. Versed in the semiotics of gayness, she was instantly welcomed as a native. Now this is a girl in her element, I thought, as she gave a Paris-is-Burning turn and draped herself across the laps of her boys. A few weeks back, I saw a woman march into a Chelsea bar at the head of a veritable gay herd, snapping open an enormous hand-fan to the cheers of onlookers. In the past, almost every girl has brought along a homo willing to serve as her “pass” (if not a crowd of homos). But whether they functioned as pull-toys or ring-leaders, they have usually come as guests of gays who can vouch for their status as queer allies. From divas and Broadway starlets to so-called fag hags, fruit flies, and princess fairies, they have been welcomed or at least tolerated. Unlike straight men, straight women have always had a prominent place in gay bars. “Girl,” she said, “At least once a week now …” There was the group of girls that jumped the stage as I tried to perform “Dancing on my Own”-now isn’t that ironic, Alanis? There were the ladies who came screaming to defend their girlfriend as I ribbed her in the audience. As I struggled to regain control of my show, I thought, hey, haven’t I been fighting this fight a lot lately? I asked Ms.
