Boy w the Phoenix Tattoo

I guess I'm confused because I don't think there's an over-arching "gay scene." Each city has its own, and then you've got their respective subcultures. As a gay trans man in the DMV, sure, there are places I do not go because I know I won't achieve acceptance there. Half of me is the impassioned young activist who wants to fight for his place in those spaces; the other is exceptionally bitter that I have to fight to be in such spaces, and that I can't just roll up to any old bar and feel safe getting a drink with my friends. In some ways, the scene has shaped my preferences. I think there's a misconception that my generation (or younger) is more progressive and accepting about any manner of diversity; but I've found that a lot of gay men my age or younger double down very hard on labels, so I generally don't date my age. You've also got other groups like the masc4masc types (which does include trans men, but that's another story for another day), the "no fats no fems no Hispanics no (insert label)" types, etc. Everyone in my local area wants to be polyamorous, which believe it or not, I don't do. Despite all of that, there is a small population of gay people in my area that I fall in with like we're some kind of island of misfit toys. There are places to go in my city that are predominately gay spaces, and yet their function is purely social. So I'd say that I personally am part of my local scene because I've found my niche, but I'm not as entrenched in it as I perhaps could be.