Tonight, a local group organized an event called Guerrilla Gay Bar. It was scheduled to take place at Union Bar and Lounge in Midtown (http://www.myspace.com/unionlounge). A group arrived there at the pre-arranged time, only to be told they would not be let in because there needed to be a high female to male ratio. Allegedly, the doormen did eventually state that they were told to keep the group out because they were gay.
I arrived on the scene to find a group still arguing with patrons and staff. After the group left, I spoke directly with the doormen who said they had been working all night. They told me that told some members of the groups had self-identified as being gay, but that they did not care if people are gay or not. They also told me that they do not have a policy regarding male-female ratio, and that no one was turned away, but rather just told that they had to wait in line because the group was larger than expected.
I told the doormen who I was and that I would be collecting statements about what happened, and I asked if they had anything else they wanted to say. They said no, and then asked that I read the "rules"-- the last one stating that they reserved the right to refuse anyone.
From what I understand, the same group was then turned away from Red Door. The staff cited "dress code" problems, eventually telling potential patrons that they could not come it because they "did not look straight."
For those of you who have not understood what Impact Houston is or why we are here, wonder no more. In a way, we are lucky that our generation has not been victimized by hate and violence the same way that those before us were. However, it is at the same time a liability in that we forget all too often that we are today an oppressed minority in this country, and around the world. Still, many in our community have become too comfortable with the status quo. So, it is in times like this that we are reminded of the struggles we have been through, and those that lie ahead.
As this fight continues, know that Impact Houston will be on the front line. For more information, go to www.impact-houston.com. Check back over the next few days for more reactions to these events, and others. Also, look for us at AIDS Walk on Sunday. Finally, if you were at these bars tonight, share your stories here.
Peace and solidarity,
Meghan Baker
President, Impact Houston
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I faced this at Wild West Houston 2.20.08 after E.T (the manager/CEO) denied my entrance to the club since I had a DSLR camera to photoshoot a preliminary round for the Miss Houston Rodeo. I reported this to the MHR organizer last summer after a Hawaiian Tropic prelim and this is not acceptable. Gruv Austin did the same after I was on the e-mail with the TX Bikini Team where the club did the same (they had their own corrupt rules and I have an e-mail which stated that the TBT ordered yours truly ejected; which is not true).
ReplyDeleteThanks for starting this blog. I was with the group at both Union Bar and later Red Door. We were told a number of different things at Union. First, the argument from the doormen was that there needed to be a male-to-female ratio, however a few single men not in our group and several single women or male/female couples were let in during this time. The entire time, both HPD and the doormen were stating that they had the right to refuse. We argued that they DID in fact have the right to refuse entry to an individual, but not to a particular "class" of people and that it was discrimination.
ReplyDeleteAt one point the doormen were going to allow the organizer to select a few people to come in. Everyone was still in shock from the treatment, the cold and the rain and decided to move to Red Door.
We had NO TROUBLE getting into Red Door whatsoever. The staff was extremely nice and we even chatted about what happened at Union to some of the bartenders, who could not believe our earlier treatment. I just wanted to clarify what was said above regarding Red Door. Red Door did, in fact have a dress code, but they allowed easy entry for everyone that I knew coming from Union bar.
Red Door has always felt like a true metro bar, plenty of gay/bi/straight patrons. Sometimes we just don't feel like going out around Pacific St. and Red Door is a great place to go. They definitely do have a dress code, but are always very friendly. I've kissed my boyfriend plenty of times in Red Door directly in front of the bartenders and never had anything said nor any odd looks. Red Door stands out as a great club for ALL of Houston; schmUnion Bar, not so much, boring over there. Let them be Banned from our money!!!
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