Well imagine a straight bar full of homosexual men kissing. I guess straight guys do not wish to see that. This is common sense: gays go to gay bars, lesbians go to lesbian bars and straights go to straight bars. It is totally unnecessary for the law to intervene. Majority of the people do possess this amount of IQ to realise the social etiquette. It's the few ones that are trouble makers.

Champ, London, UK

We homosexuals have very few places we can go to be just comfortable without the consideration of "expressing affection, physical intimacy or sexuality"

I will respect other people but after getting repeatedly bullied, insulted and assaulted for just walking down a street, this seems a small step in a more positive direction. 99.99% of places would let heterosexuals do what they like, without batting an eye. Is it such a problem to have a small number in our favour?

Adam Grant, York, England

It's disgusting that if a landlord disagreed with homosexuality and decided to ban gay men, he'd end up in court being charged with discrimination. The only reason the lesbians haven't done this is because he has allowed gay men to stay so it's a display of solidarity. On nights out in Manchester, bouncers in Canal Street often said 'only regulars tonight' which meant one thing - no non-gays. Surely if equal rights are to apply, and not favouritism for a minority group, no bars should be exclusive to a specific group of people?

Gavin Le Boutillier, Hull, East Yorkshre

Plenty of pubs and clubs DO effectively ban homosexual men, ie. if an openly gay couple went into certain pubs they would be lucky to leave in one piece.

Hen parties are an increasing problem on the British gay scene as well, and although the majority are good natured and welcome the minority are clearly there for 'a walk on the wild side' and regard gay men and their social scene as some kind of spectacle.

We have all nature of clubs for like minded people from conservative clubs and 'gentlemen's clubs to 'working men's' clubs, so what is controversial about clubs for gay men only?

When two gay men can embrace and kiss in a 'straight' pub in the way that so many 'straights' appear to love doing in gay pubs, then maybe we will have equality.

Lee Holmes, Middlesbrough, Cleveland

Isn't it terrible that mainstream society are so antisocial in their behaviour that sections of society need to put themselves away somewhere safe from the rest of us?

The message to straight people who feel slighted by this is clear - sort out the violent and abusive in your own ranks and then you'll be welcome.

Jen, Manchester, England

O.K. then let other pubs ban homosexual men. LOL-they can't-
The homosexuals not only want equal treatment they want
special treatment.
So this opens the doors to discrimination of -we want only
our kind here-
What a nit wit wishy washy tribunal.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA

Recently Christians, and members of any religion in the UK, were refused any exception from laws. If, for example, a gay couple arrive to a B&B and are unwelcome there due to matters of conscience of those who run the B&B, they can sue the owner if he or she refuses to accept them. Even if there are plenty of hotels around and even if the gay couple can go and sleep elsewhere. No one says that such pressure from gays "devalues and dehumanises” religious people. Why officials in Western world give more rights to gays than to religious people? Where this homosexual political hysteria is coming from?

Alex Spak, Aberystwyth, UK

This is a blatant political decision. The legal distinction is between public and private places. If you want to run a private club, that's fine. Restrict your membership. Can you imagine what would happen if anyone suggested excluding homsexuals from a public bar?

Oh, I know the argument. And it doesn't wash. If the conduct of heterosexual patrons goes over the line, tell them to leave.

Funny how the notion of equality becomes an instrument of exclusion and privilege in the hands of some of the very people who should know its wrong.

Vincent, Toronto , CANADA

wow! who'd have thought that in 2007 we could be so separatist. i always thought that discriminating against someone based on the race, colour, religion, sexual preference, etc was wrong. COOL! that means people who don't want blacks drinking with them can open up a bar banning blacks. it also means that if gays are happy to be separate, then society has always been right to exclude them form things like marriage. what a can of worms has now been opened and cast us back 50 odd years of rational thinking. as an aussie, i'm offended that my fellow aussie's want a return to segregation.

steve, Brisbane, Queensland