A shocked-looking man
Posed by model (Photo: Shutterstock)

A viral tweet has highlighted something that most gay men seemingly hate should it occur to them in a darkroom. 

Are we talking about unwanted attention or touching? No, on this occasion, it’s name-calling. 

More precisely, if you visit the venue with a friend and they call out your name because they can’t find you and want to leave. 

“Calling your friend’s name in the darkroom telling him it’s time to go is HILARIOUS,” posted one X user. 

It prompted a flurry of replies, with many saying it might be amusing to others present. Still, it’s mortifying if your name is being called. 

Others pointed out that if one friend is driving then they often dictate when it’s time to go. Similarly, a taxi may have arrived to pick people up and folk need to make a sharp exit from whatever they’re doing. 

Darkroom do’s and don’ts

A quick scan around Reddit and other platforms reveals that besides hearing one’s name being called out by a friend, there are certain other breaches of darkroom or bathhouse etiquette. 

One expects a certain amount of uninvited touching as a means of introduction in such locations. However, no one wants persistent or repeated grabs from people already rebuffed.
“No” means “no”.

A recent Reddit post also illustrated that like bachelorette parties invading gay bars, few appreciate straight women wandering into dark rooms to check out what’s happening. No one likes to be gawped at like a zoo animal. 

Nobody wants to see the glow of a cell phone in a darkroom, either. Most users are wary of someone trying to take photos. Similarly, do not use your phone’s flashlight unless you’ve dropped something you must locate. 

For more tips, our sister site, GayCities, ran a great feature about bathhouse do’s and don’ts. Much of the advice is also applicable to darkrooms.

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