Press
The Hacienda
1992

An article from the Manchester Evening News about Rebekah McDonough, a clubber who was refused entry to Flesh at the Haçienda because door staff suspected she wasn't gay.

' "A woman on the door asked me if I could name four famous lesbians," said Rebekah, from Blackley.

"When I couldn't, she asked me where there were four lesbian meeting places in Manchester. When I couldn't answer that either, I was told I couldn't get in, despite the fact that I had paid for my ticket in advance."

Promoter Paul Cons explained, "It does say on the tickets that the management reserve the right to refuse admission to known heterosexuals." '

Flesh was well-known for its strict door policy. Straight people with a group of gay friends could often gain admission easily, but Cons and business partner Lucy Scher (A Bit Ginger) were keen to make sure the night was predominantly gay.

Later Manchester gay clubs, such as Homo Electric of Bollox were more welcoming to 'filthy heteros' or 'don't knows', but arguably it was the proud, celebratory rhetoric of Flesh, 'Gaychester' and Manto on Canal Street that led to Manchester as a whole being a more accepting place for LGBT people, which in turn led to the more laidback, mixed ethos of the early noughties scene.

Rebekah McDonough later confessed to a member of staff at A Bit Ginger that she was, in fact, heterosexual.