READERS' PICK: We don't mean to wax lexical, but this category made everyone a little squirmy--it was the "L" word. So what's in a name? One avowed member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender (aka Queer) community illuminated with this parable: "It's like my mother; when I was little she would say, 'Sweetie, you are my favorite daughter.' And all I could think was, 'but I'm your only daughter.'" Our respondent continued, "So I'd have to say the The Biz, because it's the only bar brave or crazy enough to use the word 'lesbian,' bless 'em. Let's face it, there's never a huge choice of lesbian establishments; it's not like we get to choose from a fern bar, a juke joint, a disco, or a waterin' hole ... even in a city like San Fran. That's why we call it "The Bar," it's a Highlander thing: there can be only one. There are other bars lesbians go to, of course--we have a way of turning up everywhere. But those are mixed and we rarely make up the majority. So it doesn't matter if you're a diesel dyke, a lipstick lesbian, a doctoral student in applied physics, a golfer, a geek or a poet--you'll be drawn to The Lesbo Bar now and then like a salmon to spawn, because on that night in that place for that brief time you become miraculously mainstream." She went on (and on), "But it's the year 2000! Lesbians go wherever they want. I say we just pick our favorite bar, lock lips with a girl there awhile, and see how that goes ... you know, open up some new territory."
