A reader writes:
The shower discussion is making me laugh at loud. I am a straight guy who worked in gay-owned cafes while in college. I was the token straight boy. I was checked out and flirted with relentlessly by the staff. I made great tips letting the customer's check me out as I took their order. They were all harmless - the older trolls, the young sex kitten, the brilliantly dark smart one, the muscle boy, the biker boys (as in River and Keanu, not Harley's), the theater boys, the preppy Republican gay guy ... they all checked me out and I loved it and profited by it. I never turned out gay, not even close. You are right, the attention is flattering as hell. It is not different than straight guys checking out girls. Not one bit. Guys are horny, it doesn't matter what they put their penis into. But that doesn't mean they go around porking everything that moves.
The only reason I would feel threatened showering with gay guys would be that they might look better than me when they are naked. Of course, when showering with the gay guys you can ask them what moisturizer they use to get that smooth skin without catching shit for it.
There's an economic niche here, if someone wants it. If you're a good looking straight guy in need of easy money, find a gay restaurant or bar and become a waiter or bar-tender. Gay men are great tippers, and they're even better tippers if you're hot. (Don't even think of getting tips from lesbians. There are exceptions, of course, but in general, look elsewhere.) I have a straight friend who made a small fortune as a deck-chair dude on the beach in Rehoboth. As so often, capitalism is the true corroder of prejudice.