From Magic Mike to restaurants with beefcake waiters, marketers pander to the female gaze because the gay male gaze makes them uncomfortable
The funny thing about going to see the first Magic Mike in theaters in New York when it opened several years ago was how different the experience was based on which neighborhood cineplex you stumbled into. In most neighborhoods in the city, it was full of women wanting to see Channing Tatum writhe around the stage in his skivvies. However, at the screening in Chelsea – traditionally one of the city’s gayest neighborhoods – not only was the theater packed with gay men, there were giveaways, a drag queen comedian, an amateur stripping contest and all sorts of raucous behavior before the opening credits even rolled.
I bring that up because that Magic Mike atmosphere can happen any night of the week for those who live in Dallas now that Tallywackers has opened. The restaurant is like an all-male version of Hooters, where the buffed waiters work in tight tank tops and shorts so short you can probably tell your server’s religion. And while the owner is touting in the press all the bachelorette parties that are rolling in to feast on the hot dogs, burgers, and salads (complete with fried chicken, because it is Texas, after all) can everyone stop pretending that this restaurant isn’t entirely meant for gay men?
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