Houston, Texas: MIDTOWN BAR REFUSES GAY PEOPLE

[tbyg52]

Nearly 100 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people were refused entry to Union Bar and Lounge in Midtown Friday while others were welcomed.

Patrons started lining up at about 9:40 p.m. and were told to wait in line and not allowed inside, even as straight-appearing people were waved through. As the line grew and patrons waited in the rain, employees at the door told those who were that they were maintaining a “ratio.” Later, the bar employees simply indicated they had the right to refuse anyone.

snip

The event was organized as Houston’s first “Guerilla Gay Bar,” a tongue-in-cheek event that has been popular in other cities in which GLBT individuals come to traditionally straight bars to interact with other communities. Though Guerilla Gay Bars are usually a surprise event in other cities, Houston organizers informed the bar owner in advance out of courtesy and were told they would be welcomed.

More:
http://www.afterelton.com/node/24251

[tbyg52]

1. Somebody beat me to it in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5255902&mesg_id=5255902

And I sure agree with the comment they added.

[Stevenmarc]

2. The whole situation was badly handled by everyone involved

and that includes the event organizers who went off script, if you have a formula that works don't screw with it. The whole concept is that it's a surprise event, so what do you do, oh gee lets tell the bar owners ahead of time and then you get mad when it turns out to be a giant cluster fuck.

Ok, I'm not about to let the bar owners get off easy they are just as guilty by first encouraging it then having second thoughts about an event that was, at best, an unknown quantity, they should have simply lived up to their end of the bargain.

[FreeState]

5. I would not say that...

Yes the gay group did not follow the usual protocol behind most of these events - however we should be treated as equals weather we announce our intentions at a public venue or not.

[Stevenmarc]

6. It's the protocol that makes this kind of event work

By the time the club owners realize what's going on they have a room full of happy paying customers it's a win win. When you don't follow protocol you have a bar owner going over a whole lot of scenarios from security concerns to possibly pissing off his existing customer base, the club business is pretty fickle, but second guessing his decision was where the club owner went wrong.

Obviously you don't go to a lot of clubs with restrictive door policies, the club scene is not all that egalitarian and just because people get moist in line knowing they are not going to get into a club doesn't make them the Rosa Parks of the nightclub circuit.

[FreeState]

8. Thanks for making assumptions about me

but you would be wrong.

There is a huge difference between not letting a people in because of how they look etc and not letting whole class of people into a club - that is what is wrong about what the club did. The gay group did nothing wrong IMO - I have actually been to one of these events (not the one in Texas).

[Stevenmarc]

10. And if the club

was not informed ahead of time, then club security wouldn't have known who management wanted to exclude. As I said repeatedly, the clubs decision was absolutely wrong but I tend to like to look at the total picture before assessing blame and as a person who has promoted a fair number of club events and has dealt with management quite a few times, I can see when promoters cause an event to run off the rails too.

[bluedawg12]

3. What "ratio" were they maintaining? Customers are customers.

Surely, it wasn't gay 2 str8 ratio? :rofl:

There's a formula for that? :eyes:

I wonder what the forumula is for homophobe door bouncers to bar ratio?

[tbyg52]

4. >>Customers are customers

Really. The whole thing is completely outside my experience, as I've never been to a single place with a velvet rope and someone who gives you the eye and decides if you're worthy to be let is, no matter what their criteria are. I only go to places where you show up and are let in, or you make a reservation if you think it might be crowded.

[bluedawg12]

7. I think the word "ratio" is the clue, they didn't want to be over run by Teh Gay.

:evilgrin:

[tbyg52]

9. Oh, in this particular case, for 100% sure....!

Can't be overrun by all that nasty money...!

But, in addition, I'm baffled by the whole velvet rope thing in general.

[tbyg52]

11. The situation appears to have been resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

I can't give you any details, as I don't do Facebook, etc., on dialup, but here are the links if you want to have a look.

**************************

This will be the final message sent out by the United Against Union Bar group, but it is not the last step on the road toward full equality.

This past week has shown the power of organization and quick response. Please take a moment now to join one of the groups below involved in the work to secure civil rights. Even if you do not live in Houston, please sign up so we can reach you the next time we need to quickly organize a response.

Houston GLBT Political Caucus (non-partisan):
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://thecaucus.org%2Fhome%2Fsubscribe%2F
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://twitter.com%2Fhglbtcaucus
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=21667161788

Impact Houston (non-partisan):
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://impact-houston.com%2F
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?sid=fd24690f579217eee69675cff51219c2&gid=35418447857

Houston Young Stonewall Democrats: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.houstonstonewallyd.org%2F
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=36b000607d08eb5f873e874aa19e9157&gid=2338637510

[robinlynne]

12. deleted. wrong thread

[bicentennial_baby]

13. In Boston, when they know Guerilla Queer Bar is happening,

the bars often do diversity training first. But, it's Massachusetts. :)

[bluedawg12]

14. But they allow Bachelorette Parties? I thought that was illegal?

Q 2 str8 ratios are legal?

Then, Bachelorette to Gays ration must be legal too!

:evilgrin: