10 Types of West Hollywood Parties

When I was living in West Hollywood, parties were a major form of socializing.  We held them, or were invited to them, at least once a week, sometimes twice.  Around major holidays like Christmas and Gay Pride, you might be invited to two or three every weekend.

Parties came in different types, with different expectations about what would happen and how they would end.

1. The New Boyfriend.  To introduce a new boyfriend to the group and get their approval, typically on the third or fourth date.   At the end of the evening, one of the guests would be invited to "share" (go into the bedroom for a threesome).

2. Coming Out.  For introducing a new friend to the group, either someone who was newly out or someone who had just escaped to West Hollywood from a homophobic small town.  He had to tell his coming out story.  At the end of the evening, some of the guests would take him "cruising" (looking for dates at the bars).

3. Moving.  You're moving in with a new boyfriend.  Your roommate moved out, so you can no longer afford the rent.  You want to move closer to your job.  You want to move closer to the heart of West Hollywood, Santa Monica and La Cienega.  You didn't have a lot of stuff in West Hollywood, so grab a few friends, rent a U-Haul, and you're done in a couple of hours, followed by a shower and pizza.

4. Christmas.  Rather a depressing holiday, full of hetero family nonsense.  Gay men have often been rejected by their families, or their families are a thousand miles away.  We overcame the depression by hosting nonstop parties where you made fun of Christmas classics, sang double-entendre-laden songs, and unwrapped x-rated presents.

5. Dinner.  A West Hollywood staple, a chance for you to show off your culinary skills.  Followed by discussions of gigantic penises, dates from hell, and celebrity hookups, and entertainment (a nude dancer) or games involving nudity.  At the end of the evening, some guys would be invited to "share" the roommates, and others would go out cruising.

More after the break.

6. Gay Pride.  Dinner, but on the night before or after Gay Pride, when everyone was tired, so not a lot of sharing or cruising went on afterwards.

7. The Relatives.  When straight relatives visited and wanted to meet your friends.  Also any party where straight people were invited.  They might not know that you were gay, or they might know and "tolerate" it as long as you didn't "shove it down their throat."  Regardless, everyone was very low key and conservative, and avoided using the word "gay."

8. Movie Night.  Five or six guys to rent a VHS of a gay classic, or a movie with a lot of beefcake.  Typically as the evening wore on, there was porn...and sex right there in the living room.

9. Bear Party.  A party for big, hairy, or older men and their admirers, typically twenty or more.  Most of them did not know each other. Everyone was fully nude.  Socialization downstairs, and sex upstairs.  This only worked in a big house, since you were inviting guys who are interested in sex, and guys who were not.

10. Sex Party.  No question here -- you came for sex, or to watch other guys having sex.  Like Bear Parties, most of the participants did not know eachother.  Minimal socializing, a few snack trays and soft drinks, just twenty or more guys naked and aroused.  You could have special themes: Blow Buddies (oral only), Bondage Buddies,  Greek Men.  You could specialize in certain types of people: hung, older, younger, black, Asian (and their admirers).  Or you could open the whole thing for anyone who wanted to come.