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Date: May 29, 2007
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Audio: 1:53 - 221.3 KB - 16kbps
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THE ARTICLE

Australian bar bans heterosexuals

In a landmark ruling, a gay pub in Australia has won the right to ban heterosexuals. The owner of Melbourne’s Peel Hotel, Tom McFeely, said he fought for the right for his regular gay male customers to enjoy a quiet drink away from straight people and lesbians. He said his gay patrons needed to be able to freely express their sexuality. McFeely’s victory came after the Equal Opportunity Commission accepted his argument that there weren’t enough venues where homosexuals could feel safe and be free from harassment. McFeely said his pub used to welcome anyone. However, his gay clientele complained that they often felt like they were drinking in a zoo and that they were the main attraction.

Australia's equal opportunity laws prevent discrimination based on race, religion or sexuality. A spokeswoman for the Commission Cate McKenzie said if many heterosexual men and women came into the bar, they could outnumber the gay male patrons. She said "This would…destroy the atmosphere the hotel wishes to create." McFeely pointed out that the ruling was only being fair to a sizeable section of Melbourne’s citizens. He commented that while there were over 2,000 bars in the city for heterosexuals, his hotel was the only place strictly for homosexual men. He added the new ruling would also prevent "sexually based insults and violence" towards gay drinkers at the pub. Not everyone is happy, though. The pub is one of the only places in the area that offers live music.

WARM-UPS

1. MY CLUB: Walk around the class and talk to other students about the new place in town that is open only to you. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

landmarks / bans / gays / hotels / quiet drinks / freedom / harassment / zoos / discrimination / atmosphere / citizens / insults / violence / live music

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. XYZ-ONLY: With your partner(s), talk about whether having exclusive clubs for particular groups of people is a good or bad thing. Why might these people want to socialize in a place just for them?

  • homosexual men
  • pensioners
  • teachers
  • people born in a particular city (Londoners, New Yorkers…)
  • stamp collectors
  • Microsoft Word lovers
  • bald men
  • people from one religion

4. RIGHTS: Which of these are important to you? Talk about them with your partner. Rank them: 10 = an issue very close to my heart; 1 = couldn’t care less. Change partners to share and discuss your rankings.

  • gay rights
  • animal rights
  • women’s rights
  • the rights of the unborn child
  • refugee rights
  • human rights
  • English student rights
  • other ______________________

5. GAY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “gay”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. QUICK DEBATE: Have this quick debate with your partner(s). Students A think straight people should be allowed to drink in a bar for homosexuals; students B think there should be places to drink for homosexuals only. Change partners and topics every two minutes.


 
 

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.

A bar in Australia has banned straight customers.

T / F

b.

The bar’s owner wanted gay male customers to enjoy a quiet drink.

T / F

c.

There are quite a few bars in Melbourne for gay men only.

T / F

d.

Many gay men at the bar felt like they were animals in a zoo.

T / F

e.

Australia's equal opportunity laws protect gay men.

T / F

f.

There were more straight drinkers in the bar than gay patrons.

T / F

g.

There are tens of thousands of heterosexual bars in Melbourne .

T / F

h.

Everyone is happy that the bar is only for gay males.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.

landmark

places

b.

ruling

abuse

c.

straight

customers

d.

venues

decision

e.

clientele

prejudice

f.

discrimination

large

g.

atmosphere

momentous

h.

sizeable

only

i.

strictly

mood

j.

insults

heterosexual

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.

In a landmark

and be free from harassment

b.

enjoy a quiet

section of Melbourne’s citizens

c.

his gay patrons needed to be able to freely

in a zoo

d.

where homosexuals could feel safe

race, religion or sexuality

e.

felt like they were drinking

drink away from straight people

f.

laws prevent discrimination based on

for homosexual men

g.

This would…destroy the atmosphere

ruling

h.

being fair to a sizeable

violence towards gay drinkers

i.

the only place strictly

express their sexuality

j.

prevent sexually based insults and

the hotel wishes to create

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Australian bar bans heterosexuals
 

In a landmark ________, a gay pub in Australia has won the ________ to ban heterosexuals. The owner of Melbourne’s Peel Hotel, Tom McFeely, said he ________ for the right for his regular gay male customers to enjoy a quiet drink ________ from straight people and lesbians. He said his gay patrons needed to be able to ________ express their sexuality. McFeely’s victory came after the Equal Opportunity Commission accepted his argument that there weren’t ________ venues where homosexuals could feel safe and be free from harassment. McFeely said his pub used to ________ anyone. However, his gay clientele complained that they often felt like they were drinking in a zoo and that they were the main ________.

 

 

attraction
fought
freely
ruling
welcome
right
enough
away

Australia's equal opportunity laws ________ discrimination based on race, religion or sexuality. A spokeswoman for the Commission Cate McKenzie said if many heterosexual men and women came into the bar, they could ________ the gay male ________. She said "This would…destroy the atmosphere the hotel wishes to ________."  McFeely pointed out that the ruling was only being fair to a sizeable ________ of Melbourne’s citizens. He commented that while there were over 2,000 bars in the city for heterosexuals, his hotel was the only place ________ for homosexual men. He added the new ruling would also prevent "sexually based ________ and violence" towards gay drinkers at the pub. Not everyone is happy, though. The pub is one of the only places in the area that ________ live music.

 

 

offers
patrons
outnumber
strictly
create
prevent
section
insults

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Australian bar bans heterosexuals

In a landmark ruling, a gay pub in Australia ________________________ ban heterosexuals. The owner of Melbourne’s Peel Hotel, Tom McFeely, said he ________________________ his regular gay male customers to enjoy a quiet drink away from straight people and lesbians. He said his gay patrons ________________________ freely express their sexuality. McFeely’s victory came after the Equal Opportunity Commission accepted his argument that ________________________ where homosexuals could feel safe and be free from harassment. McFeely said his pub used to welcome anyone. However, his gay clientele complained that ________________________ they were drinking in a zoo and that they ________________________.

Australia's ________________________ prevent discrimination based on race, religion or sexuality. A spokeswoman for the Commission Cate McKenzie said if many heterosexual men and women came into the bar, they ________________________ male patrons. She said "This would…destroy the atmosphere the hotel wishes to create."  McFeely pointed out that the ________________________ a sizeable section of Melbourne’s citizens. He commented that while there were over 2,000 bars in the city for heterosexuals, his hotel ________________________ for homosexual men. He added the new ruling would also prevent "sexually ________________________ " towards gay drinkers at the pub. Not everyone is happy, though. The pub is ________________________ the area that offers live music.


 
 

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘gay’ and ‘straight’.

gay

straight

 

 

 

 
  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

  • landmark
  • fought
  • freely
  • accepted
  • welcome
  • zoo
  • based
  • outnumber
  • atmosphere
  • section
  • violence
  • happy

STUDENT SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about SEXUALITY in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 
  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. Do you think the landmark ruling is a good one?
  3. Do you think there should be more bars and clubs that strictly cater to different social groups?
  4. Do you think many straight people would be angry at the ruling?
  5. Have you ever had the feeling that you were in a zoo?
  6. What do you think of the idea of other places (shopping mall / beaches / movie theatres…) that are only for gay men?
  7. Do you think gay women would be angry at the ruling in the article?
  8. Have you ever been harassed?
  9. Have you ever been to a gay bar?
  10. Why do you think some people who hate gays and lesbians?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

  1. Did you like reading this article?
  2. Do you think homophobia will disappear from the world one day?
  3. Do you ever stare at people because they are different?
  4. Do you think Australia is a fair and equal society?
  5. Does your government do a lot to promote equality?
  6. Is it fair that straight music lovers can’t drink in the Peel Hotel?
  7. Is your country a fair one for homosexuals to live in?
  8. What kind of atmosphere do you like to feel in a bar?
  9. Do you feel any of your rights need addressing?
  10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

  1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
  2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
  3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
  4. What did you like talking about?
  5. Which was the most difficult question?

 LANGUAGE

CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.

Australian bar bans heterosexuals

In a landmark (1)____, a gay pub in Australia has won the right to ban heterosexuals. The owner of Melbourne’s Peel Hotel, Tom McFeely, said he (2)____ for the right for his regular gay male customers to enjoy a (3)____ drink away from straight people and lesbians. He said his gay patrons needed to be able to (4)____ express their sexuality. McFeely’s victory came after the Equal Opportunity Commission accepted his argument that there weren’t enough venues where homosexuals could feel safe and be free (5)____ harassment. McFeely said his pub used to welcome anyone. However, his gay clientele complained that they often felt like they were drinking in a zoo and (6)____ they were the main attraction.

Australia's equal opportunity laws prevent discrimination based (7)____ race, religion or sexuality. A spokeswoman for the Commission Cate McKenzie said if many heterosexual men and women came into the bar, they could (8)____ the gay male patrons. She said "This would…destroy the atmosphere the hotel wishes (9)____ create."  McFeely pointed out that the ruling was only being fair to a sizeable section of Melbourne’s citizens. He commented that (10)____ there were over 2,000 bars in the city for heterosexuals, his hotel was the only place (11)____ for homosexual men. He added the new ruling would also prevent "sexually based insults and violence" towards gay drinkers at the pub. Not everyone is happy, (12)____. The pub is one of the only places in the area that offers live music.

1.

(a)

rules

(b)

ruling

(c)

rule

(d)

ruler

2.

(a)

fought

(b)

fight

(c)

beat

(d)

victory

3.

(a)

quite

(b)

quit

(c)

quiet

(d)

quietly

4.

(a)

frees

(b)

freedom

(c)

freely

(d)

free

5.

(a)

without

(b)

far

(c)

for

(d)

from

6.

(a)

which

(b)

that

(c)

what

(d)

than

7.

(a)

on

(b)

off

(c)

of

(d)

in

8.

(a)

numeral

(b)

numb

(c)

renumber

(d)

outnumber

9.

(a)

to

(b)

out

(c)

in

(d)

up

10.

(a)

whole

(b)

while

(c)

which

(d)

when

11.

(a)

stricter

(b)

strictness

(c)

strictly

(d)

strict

12.

(a)

thought

(b)

although

(c)

through

(d)

though

WRITING: 

Write about sexuality for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about gay rights. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. RIGHTS POSTER: Make a poster about how people from different countries have different rights. Show your poster to your class in the next lesson. Vote on the best one(s).

4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about having different places (bars, shopping malls, train carriages…) that are strictly for different groups of people.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Australia’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner. Ask her three questions about her Commission’s ruling. Give her three pieces of advice about what else she should do to further gay rights. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. T

c. F

d. F

e. T

f. F

g. F

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.

landmark

momentous

b.

ruling

decision

c.

straight

heterosexual

d.

venues

places

e.

clientele

customers

f.

discrimination

prejudice

g.

atmosphere

mood

h.

sizeable

large

i.

strictly

only

j.

insults

abuse

PHRASE MATCH:

a.

In a landmark

ruling

b.

enjoy a quiet

drink away from straight people

c.

his gay patrons needed to be able to freely

express their sexuality

d.

where homosexuals could feel safe

and be free from harassment

e.

felt like they were drinking

in a zoo

f.

laws prevent discrimination based on

race, religion or sexuality

g.

This would…destroy the atmosphere

the hotel wishes to create

h.

being fair to a sizeable

section of Melbourne’s citizens

i.

the only place strictly

for homosexual men

j.

prevent sexually based insults and

violence towards gay drinkers

GAP FILL:

Australian bar bans heterosexuals

In a landmark ruling, a gay pub in Australia has won the right to ban heterosexuals. The owner of Melbourne’s Peel Hotel, Tom McFeely, said he fought for the right for his regular gay male customers to enjoy a quiet drink away from straight people and lesbians. He said his gay patrons needed to be able to freely express their sexuality. McFeely’s victory came after the Equal Opportunity Commission accepted his argument that there weren’t enough venues where homosexuals could feel safe and be free from harassment. McFeely said his pub used to welcome anyone. However, his gay clientele complained that they often felt like they were drinking in a zoo and that they were the main attraction.

Australia's equal opportunity laws prevent discrimination based on race, religion or sexuality. A spokeswoman for the Commission Cate McKenzie said if many heterosexual men and women came into the bar, they could outnumber the gay male patrons. She said "This would…destroy the atmosphere the hotel wishes to create."  McFeely pointed out that the ruling was only being fair to a sizeable section of Melbourne’s citizens. He commented that while there were over 2,000 bars in the city for heterosexuals, his hotel was the only place strictly for homosexual men. He added the new ruling would also prevent "sexually based insults and violence" towards gay drinkers at the pub. Not everyone is happy, though. The pub is one of the only places in the area that offers live music.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - b

2 - a

3 - c

4 -c

5 - d

6 -b

7 - a

8 -d

9 -a

10 - b

11 -c

12 - d

 

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